“I choose to be happy”

Many thanks to my friend Joanne for posting this five-minute TED video on Facebook:  Without her recommendation, I probably wouldn’t have watched it…I mean, I wouldn’t normally be very interested in a man talking about how he survived a plane ditching in the Hudson River (New York City)…

But it’s much more than that, as you will see if you click on the below link. And now I’m really glad I watched it: http://goo.gl/kvSf2L

I imagine lots of people before me have compared a plane accident to a cancer diagnosis. It’s an obvious comparison, methinks. And in fact, while I was listening to Ric’s story, I couldn’t help thinking about my own cancer diagnosis and how it changed my life…in a positive manner, in many ways.

When something major (cancer diagnosis, surviving a plane accident, whatever…) happens to you, the things that you thought were so important, such as your career, suddenly don’t matter so much anymore…As Ric says, “it all changes in an instant.”

And that is why I really liked this comment: “I no longer try to be right. I choose to be happy.”

It’s not possible to be happy all the time or have a perfect life, of course, but it is possible to make some changes…and rearrange your priorities.

I have.

(Or at least, I think I have!)

3 Comments

  1. Bello, una lezione che prendo da te tutti i giorni. Ti ho mai detto quanto ti ammiro e quanto sono ogoglioso di te per questo? Sei un esempio straordinario di come vadano affrontati gli ostacoli che la vita ci pone di fronte, anche quelli piu’ insidiosi. Ti voglio bene.

  2. I too prefer to be happy. I’m at a SMm stage and waiting and more often than not “worrying”. It’s often hard to remain positive.
    I am eager to hear from those who have adopted positive mental attitudes to replace negative thoughts and how they stay on their narrow path. I meditate, eat those anti cancer foods and exercise and am quite fit, usually feeling good.
    There doesn’t seem to be a lot of info re positive thought or affirmation out there, perhaps I’m looking in all the wrong places.

  3. I am 86 years old and have held on to MGUS for 10 years thanks to people like Margaret who introduced me to curcumin of which I take 5 grams/day plus other supplements to keep inflammation down. I also try to keep fit and keep a positive attitude. Just reading ” The Hacking of the American Mind”, that really explains what happiness and contentment is and how to find it. The book was written by a Neurologist who explains the mental state anatomically and physiologically, just great read. Keep your positive mind .

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