I'm writing this post because I want to try something. For those that don't know me, I am a Gemini. Now, I don't have any belief in the zodiac, but I do feel like a divided person a lot of the time. It takes me longer than the average person to make decisions, but once I've made one then I'm quick to follow thru. My emotions are often split as well. I go thru a lot of highs and lows but struggle to find a happy medium.
For example, half the time I am a Pollyanna. I take joy in the smallest things and can always find several things to be glad about. Other times though, I feel the opposite, like an Anti-Polly if you will. I lose my joy somewhere and can't find a single thing to be glad about. In fact, I'm so good at being the Anti-Polly that I'll find ways to twist the things that normally bring me joy, or that I'm glad about until they are dark and corrupted and there's no light to be seen in my little world.
Now, that never lasts forever, though it feels like it will when you're in the thick of the darkness. The light is never really gone though. "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5. It's probably easy to guess why this is one of my favorite verses. It's good to know there is a light that will never go out, that actually repels the darkness.
Anyway, my point is that I don't like the Anti-Polly and lately I feel like she has been given too much free reign. I'm gonna try & put her back in her place with the real Pollyanna. I know it's generally a put down if someone is called a Pollyanna, and that kindness is often seen as a weakness, but those people only hurt themselves with that kind of talk. So, this is my proposal. Every day for 40 days, I will find at least one thing to be glad about. It can't be that hard right? Well I'm about to find out.
Why 40 days? 40 is a number of change. Noah was in the ark 40 days, Jesus fasted 40 days before entering the wilderness to be tempted, so I think it's a good number. If you count today, 40 days takes us right up to Christmas Eve. Christmas, the time when everything changed.
I'm calling this little project The Pollyanna Plan: 40 Days of Gladness. Doesn't that sound like a nice little self-help packaged solution to all your problems? That's not my intent, and I assure you I am the last person you want trying to solve your problems. However, don't we all feel more prepared and equipped to solve problems, handle pressure, or deal with stress when we're glad and in a good mood? I am hoping this gets me in to a better habit of looking for and finding the things around me to be glad about. I will do my best to post my glad findings on here each day, but if I miss a day or two, know that I am writing them down & will compile them when I do post on here. I encourage all of you, whomever is actually reading my little corner of cyberspace, to leave a comment with what YOU are glad about each day. You can make your comments anonymous if you like, or if you feel more comfortable keeping them to yourself that's fine as well. Just do what you can to find a gladness each day.
Today for me is easy. The day is not even halfway through and I am glad for this idea. I'm glad to be glad do to speak. I'm glad that, even if you're the only one who ever reads this, that the potential is here for you to be inspired and lifted up through my words.
Lastly, I'm glad that I have 39 more days ahead that I know for sure I'll find something to be glad about.