Living Life

By Pebbles Mendoza

The majority of us are saddled by day-to-day burdens. If it’s not fear of catching the virus - It may be the traffic that is taking two to three hours of our daily lives (yes, manila traffic is still bad, despite the travel bans,) or the demanding boss who is stealing the credit for our work, or even the latest fight you had with your significant other half. Whatever the case, the majority of our day is allocated towards negative energies, such as frustration and anger.

Why don’t we flip the switch and try to be more positive?

A year ago, I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen for a long time. After about an hour, he told me, “Parang ang bait mo ata ngayon.” (“You seem to be kinder today.”) He noticed the difference in my demeanor simply because I wasn’t frazzled and irritated like he remembered me.

Meditating and striving to raise my vibrations have worked wonders in helping me become a better person. I’ve been able to let go of anger and frustration easier than I used to, and I am now able to focus on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives. I have, quite simply, embraced a different mindset.

Helping me accomplish this calmer mindset has been the practicing of gratitude. Instead of seething in anger and frustration, I take a deep breath and count to ten. I ask myself if the situation that is angering me will still matter in five years. If it won’t (and nothing ever will), then I can let it go.

Then, I flip the switch. If my stressor is about work, I take a deep breath and instead say, “I am thankful I have a job.” If it is about traffic, then I say, “I am thankful I have the means to go where I need to go.” About COVID, well thank god, “I’m fit and healthy.”

In this day and age, it is easy to get lost in the intricacies of life. Indeed, it is easy to be grateful when things are going our way, but less easy when they’re not. This is where it takes conscious effort to find things to be grateful for.

This is my challenge for you this month: try being grateful. Every time you feel agitated, angry, or frustrated, flip the switch. Name something that you are grateful for. In time, you will become more patient, and the people around you will notice the change.