Weekly: True positivity
I want to extend my love to everyone who is suffering right now, especially to the Jewish and Palestinian members of our community and to the thousands of innocent people who have been affected by this global crisis. I am absolutely devastated for the losses you have suffered and the pain that you are experiencing. Every human being deserves to be safe and free from violence.
This week, I have been in deep reflection on the concept of humanity, a word that is central to the New Happy philosophy.
'Humanity' has two meanings:
It describes all human beings: the human race, our collective.
It describes the part of you that has the awe-inspiring ability to connect to other human beings.
There is the whole, and there is a piece of the whole that you carry within you — and the whole is dependent upon what you do with your piece. We have a responsibility to humanity to take care of our humanity.
In times of crisis, I believe that the way forward becomes clearer when we turn towards the piece of the whole that lives within us and ask, "Where am I disconnected and how can I reconnect?"
For this part of you contains everything that our world needs. It’s the part of you that is capable of offering compassion, empathy, and kindness. It’s the part of you that says, “I have felt this way before, too.” It’s the part of you that says, “I see your pain, and I won’t let you be alone with it.” It’s the part of you that says, “Suffering that is happening to you is also happening to me.” It’s the part of you that reaches out, that speaks up, that takes action. It’s the very best part of you and it’s what makes ‘us’ possible — and not just some of us, but all of us.
When we reconnect to this part of ourselves, we’re able to sit with all of our feelings, embrace all of our similarities and differences, and honor all of our needs and dreams, and, as impossible as it might seem, we are able to hold it all at the same time. It helps us to build bridges from the present moment to our dreamed-of future, and it's what keeps us walking out of the darkness and into the light.
I believe in you, and I believe in the part of you that is connected to us, and I believe in us, and I believe in the part of us that's connected to you, and I believe that through you and us we can build the peaceful world that we all long for.
With love,
Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy
This Week
In Old Happy culture, we’re told to always be positive. And what does that positivity look like? Burying your real feelings under a layer of false smiles; never, ever complaining or speaking up about difficult things; and forcing yourself to ignore suffering and pain.
But this is not true positivity. When I think about someone who is a positive person, I don’t think of someone who is faking their way through the day. I think about someone who is facing their challenges courageously, making authentic choices, and striving to help other people.
That’s because true positivity has nothing to do with how smiley you are. True positivity is making the choice to embrace your experiences and learn from them. In a world of challenges, what could be more positive than accepting what is and then trying to find a way to use it that benefits yourself and others?
Take a moment now and allow yourself to feel any emotions that you have been suppressing, labeling them as they come up. Then, ask yourself: “What does this have to teach me?” That's true positivity in action.
More Tips and Tools
1. From patience to anticipation — This week's animation.
2. The power of feedback — Support + honesty.
3. Label it — Pause and describe your feelings.
4. How to break the cycle — Three C’s: conviction, compassion and courage.
5. Open your mind — There are many paths to reach your goals.
Or listen to the podcast episodes (Apple, Spotify) from this week!
Community
What's a lesson you’ve learned recently?
“Never force anything or anyone into your life. This lesson taught me the value of the people and things I have in my life and how it made sense as to why certain people, opportunities or situations never worked out as I was trying so hard to force them to work out.”
“No matter what happens just keep going.”
“I've learnt that it's important to be open to the idea of failing. No one's going to judge.”
“A lesson I’ve learned lately is: Asking for help is not only OK, it is essential for growth, wellbeing, and overall peace. Accepting help can be hard, but we all deserve it!”
“Delaying response or reaction isn't insulting to the other party. It allows more time to step back and come up with a well-thought-out solution.”
Inspiration
1. Yo-Yo Ma plays the cello in the Great Smoky Mountains (via Kottke) — Please give yourself the gift of this video.
2. At 101, his secret to happiness: making new friends (Washington Post) — According to extensive research, he’s 100% right.
3. How to watch the solar eclipse (NYT) — On Saturday, a solar eclipse will be visible across North & South America. Get your glasses!
Before You Go
No spam, just joy.
