Towards Better Human Interaction...

We have spent the last few days being sociable with our fellow human beings. That's the gist of the holiday season. A simple rule for better human interaction? Lead with smiles & kindness. Most likely you will get the same in return. Not always. There are those decidedly grumpy, surly, grouchy, pessimists in the crowd. You can steer away. Or look on them from a healthy distance with a dollop of amusement. It can be a form of entertainment, successfully navigating the black holes of the soul. Those black holes will swallow you up. I flashed on the "Power of Postive Thinking," during the holiday festivities. It's a tool, a useful & helpful one, as long as it's grounded in the real, and also being aware that there are limits. Postive thinking can change your body, your chemistry, just by conjuring up & flooding your brain with positive thoughts. It's true. Science backs it up. And that positivity can be extended to others. Not as a con, a hustle, a grift. Not with the intention of gaining the upper hand. Being positive just for the fuck of it is a good thing. Still, you don't want to over-do it either. There is a concept known as Toxic Positivity - the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations, dismissing or invalidating genuinely negative emotions like sadness, anger, or fear, even in difficult circumstances. Right. Dealing with human beings, you have to account for all valid thoughts & emotions. It's complicated, and a disciplined way forward. Still, leaning to the Light is definitely fun, fulfilling, and very likely joy-making!