Negative Nelly

Y'all might be able to help me understand this - what is the point of grousing about everything?  I know everyone can't be Mrs. Suzy Sunshine every minute of every day but some people don't even try.  Why?

Do you think they feel better being so miserable?  I can't imagine that being true but I guess it's a possibility.  There is this one lady I know, we'll call her Dotty, and she is the most miserable old sot I've ever had the displeasure of being acquainted with... honestly.  Dotty takes being cantankerous to a completely different level.  Let's just say that if it were an Olympic sport - she would be the most highly decorated Olympian in history.

Now I know what you're thinking - if she's so miserable then don't associate with her.  I try very hard not to but she is in a woman's group that I belong to and we both hold 'positions'.  Granted, technically I 'outrank' her and could have a Come To Mickey meeting about it but I honestly just don't want to... for one, it would feed into the constant grousing that she does and two, she sucks the life out of you quicker than a Dementor.

I have,  however, tried two subtle tactics.  One was that every time she said something depressing, I would counter with the most cheerful alternative I could conjure up.  The other was to simply ignore her.  Neither of which worked, by the way.  Here is a great scenario - recently Dotty was feeling under the weather.  It is coming on cold and flu season so I offered some sound 'home remedies' to help her on the road to recovery.  They weren't good enough and did I know that she had to put in umpteen thousand hours of work this week - in the weather no less, being graded by a boss who hates her and wants to find a reason to fire her, and they're short staffed... oh and she has to do the work of 4 all by herself because they can't find people to hire.  My response was something along the lines of  "Wow, you sound busy.  I would suggest some hot tea, a bit of rest and a sunny disposition always seems to brighten things up"... all of which was said with a caring smiled plastered on my face.  It was met with a "humpf" of disapproval and she turned on her heel to go grumble to someone else who would possibly actually commiserate with her.

I guess I just don't see the point... but do you know what I did see - she looks a million years older than me!  Granted, I am younger but only by 2 years.  All of the negativity has aged this woman - she wears it all over herself.  I have always been a bit of an oddball and not let things bother me.  If I can't fix it, what is the point in grumbling over it... if I can fix it, then just hush up and do it.  That has always been my mindset.  It annoys some and delights others.  So my outlook is generally cheerful... and it shows on my face.  I don't have wrinkles except for the happy little crinkles you get by your eyes when you smile.  My skin is youthful and my eyes are bright.  Dotty is one step away from looking like an upright walking, English speaking hairless Shar Pei.

Just goes to show that a little sweetness can add years to your life - and take years off your appearance.  So don't be a Negative Nelly (or perhaps I should say Doubting Dotty)... Mrs. Suzy Sunshine looks a lot better and people actually enjoy her company.  It's not hard to do, I promise... when you wake up simply say "I choose to be in a good mood".  Yes, it is that simple.  I dare you to try it - you just may surprise yourself.