Every human I know (and some bears!) has struggles they have to face in their lives. And, no matter how large or small they may seem when compared to those of others, they are still struggles and however you feel about them is valid.

 

That said, a positive mindset has been proven to be beneficial in life, and finding the good in things is nearly always going to end up making you feel better.

 

Now, I’m most definitely not trying to diminish any problems you might have. And I know that sometimes, people telling you to look in the bright side can be the last thing you want to hear! So, if you’re having a particularly bad time at the moment, please know that I’m also offering you lots of squishy hugs and hoping that things will get better for you soon.

 

Let me give you an example, though, which may help illustrate what I’m trying to say.

 

More than fifteen years ago, my human, Annie, was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and it changed her life forever. Doctors kept telling her she was ‘ever so young’ to have this diagnosis, which really didn’t make her feel any better. And they also tried to frighten her with tales of what the long-term effects might be, which was very upsetting.

 

And it’s definitely been a struggle for her to keep it in check. The worst thing is that it’s relentless – she can’t really ever ‘take a day off’ from worrying about it, and sometimes that really gets her down.

 

But – having said that, being diabetic has actually brought some good things into her life as well. Even though it’s hard and it’s scary, knowing what the consequences might be has forced her to adopt a much healthier lifestyle. She eats better, she gets more exercise and she’s more conscious of how her choices will affect her health.

 

Thinking about being more active has led her to go out for walks with her husband more, which allows them to spend quality time together. And they’ve discovered geocaching, which they now regularly enjoy together. Annie has also discovered lots of great food she enjoys, which is healthier than what she used to eat habitually, and she’s managed to lose quite a bit of weight along the way, which is also likely beneficial to her overall health.

 

She still has difficult days and she has to work hard to make good choices – but, looking at her situation now, compared to where she was fifteen years ago, I think she would agree that she’s better off in a lot of ways.

 

So, while you shouldn’t try to ignore your problems or pretend things are great if they’re not – it’s possible you might also be able to reframe certain aspects of them to provide a brighter outlook. And, if you can turn your struggles into motivation to improve things in your life, that’s all to the good!

 

Please look after yourselves and each other, be kind to yourselves and each other, treat yourselves and each other with compassion – but look for the good wherever you can find it.

 

You can email me at wisebearstanley@gmail.com

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