Positive can be a verb.

I've been known to go through fits of wanting to never talk to a single person again.
In fact, one of my best friends and I have emergency days sometimes where a single text:

"I hate everyone."

is all we need to hear.

Half an hour later, we are sitting in our pj's, eating pizza, watching romance movies about tragic love stories from the 19th century and dramatically yelling out "Woe is me!" or some other ridiculous saying.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this ritual.
These are some of my fondest memories.

I have just been thinking about that saying, "I hate everyone," and that feeling that goes along with it.

Lately, I've been trying to be much more positive about life and people.
I'm pushing the limits of my positiveness.

Every morning, I push the negative thoughts out of my head about what could go wrong or about doing things I don't like to do.
Instead I just say, "This will be a good day."
And it is.
I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true.
Attitude makes or breaks it.
And your attitude is always a choice.

So I've been thinking...why shouldn't the same concept work with people?

Let's get real here.
We all have those people that annoy us, or those people that push our buttons or simply people that we just don't like.
We all know those negative nancies, and even those positive pollies that are so positive it makes you want to puke.
And most likely we are that person to someone else.

If I really believe what I believe about people,
that they are
beautiful
unique
complex
intriguing
specimens,

that they hold a world inside of them much bigger than you or I could imagine,

that every one of them is capable of loving in great ways,

that they all carry interesting stories and deep feelings inside of them,

and that they can all teach me something...

why do I ignore them so often? Or get annoyed when they try to talk with me? Or get irritated when I hear them laughing? Or frustrated when they are mean to me?

Why am I not looking for something deeper?
Pulling out the positive and finding those stories, those feelings, those ideas, those thoughts that exist inside of them.

It almost seems trendy these days to be rude to people or to make fun of them. It's not actually cool if you are nice to people all the time and positive about all of your interactions.
I sure hope that's not what has been stopping me.

Negative surroundings have the ability to change you in that way, to make you lazy or bitter.
My challenge has always been to be a light in the room, a person that radiates goodness and somehow, whatever is inside of me will overcome all of the bad.
So I'm challenging myself again.