Smile

I had an interview at Lowe's today.  Sure, not the most glamorous job, but they are the ones who called me back, which is more than the truckload of other companies I have applied to has done.  I interviewed with two separate people, and then had to take a drug test.  I was then informed that I would find out about the job in one to three weeks.  Why such a long time?  Well, quite possibly because for the two open positions, they have 150 applications to sort through.  So I am up against at least 149 other people for this job.  This is the problem job seekers are facing everywhere right now.  My odds are not good.

You might think I would be having a bad day because of that, but in fact, I feel just the opposite.  Today is an amazing day and I feel great.  Why?  I feel great because I woke up this morning.  It is a great day because I got out of bed.  The entire world is waiting for me, and I am alive to experience it.  So maybe I won't get this job, but you know what?  That just means there is something even better for me waiting out there.  Heck, maybe my writing thing will start to pay off!

So what did I do on this rainy, yet perfect day?  After my interview I went running.  Since I am a new runner I have been training up by running for a set amount of time, then walking, then running again, and so on for about 30 minutes.  Not even two weeks ago my run/walk ratio was 60seconds/90seconds.  Today my ratio was 4minutes/2minutes.  In less than two weeks I quadrupled my run time and am running for twice as long as I walk.  Let me tell you, it feels damn good.

Everyone becomes conditioned to feel certain emotions, and those emotions soon become habit.  For a long time my habitual emotion was that of sadness, pessimism, and desperation.  I am retraining my emotions, so that my first response is not to focus on the negative, but to look on the bright side, to feel good, and to be happy.  I looked at myself in the mirror today and smiled.  Nobody else was anywhere around, nothing funny had happened, but I smiled, because I am me.  I dare you to find a better reason to be alive.