I just was told a story by one of my long-time Happiness 101 students. In fact, her attendance record is unblemished. She has been there more than *I* have (I was absent once). She shared with me that she was in the hospital this past week due to fainting spells. The doctors ran many tests but they were still unsure of exactly what was wrong, so they wanted to run an MRI. Many, many people find it challenging to take this test because one must be slid into a small space and lay there, remaining still the whole time. My student described how her heart was pounding at the thought of her body going into that narrow tube. She knew the procedure needed to be done but was very scared. She said she thought of the skills she has learned in the Happiness 101 class and remembered that she ALWAYS has a choice about her attitude. This gave her courage to go forward with the test. She described that once in the tube, she felt nervous and scared but concentrated on happy thoughts, remembering the class and all the good times we have had. When she checks in, she shares with us about the beautiful quilts she has made. She designs each one herself and makes them by hand. So, she used her time in the MRI tube to design intricate new quilt – all in her head. This helped to keep her calm and still FOR AN HOUR!!! She said the tech was very impressed that she was able to remain so calm and still for such a long period of time. She said once she began thinking of designing the quilt, staying in the tube “was easy”. I have cried because of pain and I have cried for happiness, but I don’t think I have ever cried from pride for another person – until now. Thank you, dear lady, for being first my student and now my teacher.
~Frank Clayton, Licensed Professional Counselor

P.S. To date the doctors still do not know what is wrong with her. I’ll keep you posted.

Many people are quick to see what is wrong, rather than what is right. I’ve come to think of people who are quick to see the negative as having strong negative muscles. This is not to say they do not have positive muscles, they are just under-developed. So, the exercises to follow are designed to pump up your positive muscles. Before you begin your positive workout, let’s clarify what a positive is: a positive is anything for which you can be thankful for or just appreciate. It does not have to be big and it need not be a personal accomplishment.
Here are some tips and different spins on how to get the most out of your positive workout:
Be specific. Instead of just thinking, “I am grateful for my friends” name each friend and think of something about each person that you appreciate. Always include WHY you are thankful.
Savor. Your gratitude list can feel like your grocery list without this important ingredient. Think about what it is you are appreciating and stretch yourself to think of the many reasons you might be grateful for that thing.
Today. Think of anything and everything that you could be grateful for that happened today. Each day is unique. Trust me, as you start to think over your day, the positives will pop into your mind. The more you look the more you find.
Reverse appreciation. Think of anything that you would be mad, sad or otherwise upset if you lost it tomorrow. If you woke up tomorrow and your radio was gone, you’d probably be upset! So, why can’t you appreciate your radio today? This works for many, many things that you may be taking for granted, such as your kidneys or that little screw that holds up your towel rack. If they were suddenly gone tomorrow, you would likely grouse. So appreciate your healthy kidney today and that your towel rack still does it job rather than adding another thing to your to-do list.
Random gratitude. Pick random items and challenge yourself as to how you can appreciate it or be thankful for it. For instance, one time I randomly chose “lint” and ended up with some delightful surprises.
Challenge yourself. For a real challenge, try looking for the positive in things usually thought of as negative. For instance: what good came of 9-11? What are some positives that resulted from World War II?
Milk it. Choose one thing and think of ALL the things that had to happen for that thing to be in your possession. For instance, I once looked at the milk in the bottom of my cereal bowl and thought of everything that was connected to bringing me that milk. Sure, the cow, the farmer and the store that sold it to you are easy, but what about the grass that fed the cow? The milking machine. The INVENTOR of the milking machine. The driver of the truck that brought it to the store. How about every inventor and manufacturer that brought the existence of that truck into being – for without all those pieces that make up the truck, or if those pieces broke down, maybe no milk for us. How about the highway he drove on and everyone that brought that into existence. I’m just hitting the highlights on this one to give you an idea. You could spend hours contemplating just one of today’s modern conveniences.
Ultimate challenge. Think of someone for which you harbor resentment, anger or even (gasp!) hatred. Now, start listing things you appreciate about that person, positive characteristics or how you in any way you grew because they were in your life.

Do not get frustrated if you have trouble performing some of the more difficult exercises the first time. Like your experience at the gym, you might need to strengthen your muscles before tackling the heaviest of weights.

Frank Clayton
Licensed Professional Counselor