Reading...

I just finished "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. I would recommend this book to anyone I know. Talk about getting your priorities straight.

In a world where we are so often consumed by details...that in 5 years we will have totally forgotten...he reminds us that the big picture is the most valuable. He gives a lot of thoughts about life that we all know and we all think are great ideas...but somehow we never really follow through with them because there is always something "more important."

The book reminded me of the "Bucket List" in a way that maybe only my weird associations can. The obvious connection is that both deal with people who are living with terminal diagnoses. Both focus on the positive ways you can live out your life once you have been given a finite amount of time to live.

It made me wonder why, when there are obvious benefits to having a positive outlook, that we are often so easily drawn into negative behaviors. Why do we sulk and whine when we don't get our way? Why do we continue to cry over spilled milk and constantly try to blame someone else for it spilling?

I have met only a few people in my life that are genuinely positive people. I am not one. I am not fraught with negative energy...I think I am more neutral that anything. After some thought and consideration, I think I am going to try this positive thing out. No, I am not going to be overly cheerful and annoying about it...but I am going to try to emulate those people that I know that are positive and good at it. They have a "let's find the good in this" attitude that does not come across as "let's be unrealistic and naive."

Since no one really reads my blog...I can start my trial of positive without too much scrutiny. =)