Shining My Light

Today is a big day. This is my official 100th post. I want to shout a special thank you to you, one of my awesome readers. Thank you for following me, and encouraging me by swinging by to read, offering your comments, follows and shares. It means so much to hear from you. Some of you have e-mailed messages:

“You’ve really lifted me up today.”

“Thanks, I needed that.”

“Thanks, you’ve helped me stay the course.”

“Keep writing, it’s making a difference.” You bless me. Thank you for taking precious time out of your day to read this blog, and especially to share your thoughts.

It might surprise you to know, I wasn’t always happy, upbeat and positive. Someone from my past consistently shared their positivity with me. They told me being positive was a choice, that it would change my life, and they were right. It was the difference between remaining constantly under a grey sky and stepping out from under it to find a sunny one. When that person passed from my life, it seemed important to keep paying it forward.

That one person made a big difference in my perspective; they changed my trajectory forever. They helped me see potential and opportunity where I used to see pointlessness and unworthiness. They showed me how to bounce back from traumatic circumstances, helped me understand that a rough start in life doesn’t have to define you, but can catapult you to greater things. (What doesn’t kill you truly does make you stronger.) Even though they always found something to smile about and could find good in me, that did not come naturally to me. It took time, but I learned to find joy and the good in myself.

Somedays, we have to be our own encouragers. We have to search for silver linings in the dark moments of life. But today, I desire to make a difference in at least one more life. If you’ve hung with me this far, and you’re reading this today, if you need a smile, or need to know you’re not alone, I’m pulling for you.

You might be having the worst year of your life. But you know what? You’re going to make it. If you don’t throw in the towel and quit, you are going to come through whatever it is you’re going through right now. You’re stronger than you think and tough enough to make it to the other side.

How do I know?

My life hasn’t been all that easy. A positive attitude – just believing I would make it–coupled with a higher power helped me envision a healthy and normal life after being raped. It helped me cope in the months and years after my mother tried to end her own life, and when I was nearly kidnapped at college a year later and subsequently dropped out. After going through another romantic break-up, and when I placed my first child up for adoption, believing it would get better pulled me through some of my darkest days.

A positive attitude helped me through heartache and relationship break-ups and even death. When one husband walked out of our marriage, and another was abusive and tried to snuff out every bit of joy I held dear. It helped me get through the grief I felt when my father–my faithful cheerleader–passed away.

Life isn’t fair, and some people deal with a lot more and a lot worse than what I went through. It didn’t make my trials any less difficult. When we come face to face with hard times, it can feel like the world has turned out the lights on hope and gone totally into the dark night. But that’s when you need to believe it will get better. The sun does eventually shine, the winter gives way to summer, the rain finally subsides. If you’re at the bottom, take heart! You can only go up from there.

What does this mean for you?

So when you find a bright star, a lighthouse, a warm spot, a friendly face, it means something.  I’m willing to share with you all the positivity I have. If I can brighten a day, lighten a load, share some hope, tell a joke, I’m here to help. There isn’t enough positivity in the world yet. Maybe if you keep showing up here, you’ll not only become more positive, you could become a beacon of light for someone else going through a dark season.

Maybe you’re one of the quiet readers who hasn’t commented, liked or shared before, but by reading my posts, you’re still being affected. I’m okay with that. Even if you were the only person reading this, and if it helped you even once, I’d keep writing. So if you don’t normally comment, would you let me hear from you?

And from the bottom of my heart, thanks. You make this a joy. Maybe you know someone who could use a lift? Feel free to reshare my posts with others. It is my hope the next 100 posts will be even more amazing than the first.