The Bright Side

Ancient Rome’s Philosopher Emperor, Marcus Aurelius wrote, “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”

It’s hard to come up with such positive, sage advice such as the above quotation. I want the last bluejayblog post of 2018 and how it begins to be upbeat and positive. To end the year on an optimistic note may help our next year start off with a happy mindset.

I chose a thought from Marcus Aurelius’ diary because I imagine him as a quietly, strong man of positive character. His optimism probably was not the chirpy, desperate, type we so often see in modern popular culture. Aurelius’ realistic positive outlook on life enabled him to successfully govern the Roman Empire–not an easy, breezy thing to do.

There is a certain morality that is not oppressive to oneself and others when we approach life with an eye on the bright side of things. Such an attitude creates synergy with how we talk and write. Treating others with positive respect enables us to more easily behave well. Seeing the best qualities of life helps us develop good habits that reinforce the other good virtues we cultivate. Looking at life in a realistically positive way without being obscured by rose-colored glasses is an ages old, wise way to live.

Yesterday’s penultimate blog post about penultimate things was one way I hoped to ease positivity onto center stage. Effective people know that succeeding in one goal is the penultimate success that is the starting point of the next. This is another way of saying that effective people do not rest on their laurels; they move onward.

I think everyone has a bright core. Some people keep it hidden and buried, by trying to live as if they are someone else. Other people are unafraid of allowing it to shine by being themselves. Since we are only allotted a limited amount of time, do we want to waste our time by not being ourselves? Of course we can become the best version of ourselves by realistically living on the bright side of life.

One of the most amazing entrepreneurs of our age is Elon Musk. His cutting edge companies are gateways to a better future for humanity. His core value of optimism is wrapped up in something he frequently says, “If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it.” This is good advice for anyone, especially for people who tend to dwell on obstacles and fear.

Finally, the eccentric verse of Monty Python comes to mind:
“If life seems jolly rotten
there’s something you’ve forgotten
And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you’re feeling in the dumps
Don’t be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle–that’s the thing…”
{words and music by Eric Idle}

Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes popular author J.K. Rowling. “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.”