Choose to be Happy: A Tuesdays with Dori Paw'dcast

Welcome Furends to my very first Tuesdays with Dori Paw'dcast. 

Today's topic is Choose to be Happy.

For the past year my family has been nomming a steady diet of stress. And it's not delicious, even with a little salt and a shot of tequila.

Yoo see my pawrents packed up our home and moved us to Flory-Da last summer. During the packing Mom realized she had been lugging too many items from childhood throughout her life. Plus, being an author, she had boxes of abandoned manuscripts, lots of beloved books, and sentimental stuff acquired from relatives who had gone over the rainbow bridge. It was time to purge.

Purging can be emotional. She said it was like planning her own funeral. Items she still loved had to go because there was no room for tchotchkes in the Flory-Da home.

The real stress began when the moving truck had been unloaded, and Mom realized she didn't have enough closet space. Back at our old house we had two walk-in attics. They were like bedrooms, so big. Remember, Hwemie and I set up a purranormal investigations office in the attic off Mom's author office. But sadly, now Mom and Dad are desperate for room. Desperate for space. Desperate for less stuff. (Gosh, I feel like purging my beloved old Mylar dolly just writing this!)

And so they are back to purging. Mom has finally decided that all she has room for is the cherished memories. And like photographs, memories are sometimes much better than actual possessions. In fact, taking a picture of an item, then purging it, can be emotionally rewarding. Just the act of freeing ones space of clutter can help yoo to BREATHE! 

But that's for another paw'dcast topic. Today's topic is Choose to be Happy. 

It took awhile for Mom to recognize her stress as emotional loss of friends, of familiar stores she enjoyed at her old home, and that the house we bought came with hidden problems. My daddy spent months repairing things that the former owners did not divulge. His stress over that blended with my Mom's stress, which became a vicious cycle of endless anxiety.

Then winter arrived. My pawrent's families live in Michigan, which has been locked down for the Quarantine since last March. Getting their hair done, going to a restaurant, going to the mall, seeing a movie has been practically removed from their lives.

Compared to what their families are going through--the isolation and despair of wondering how much longer before their lives return to Normal--my pawrents realized  their stress isn't all that bad. After all, they are able to go to an outdoor restaurant with an ocean view, and they easily get salon appointments. And let's not forget Winter has settled in to freeze the Michigan spirits, whereas we have our doorwall open today to enjoy a beautiful, sunny day.

Stress is a tricky beast. What upsets one, won't bother another. Some have it much worse than others. It's not fair to say, "Oh, yoo can't be upset because yoo don't have it as bad as someone else." We all get upset, and we all have weally bad days.

However!

By focusing on the pawsitive... By Choosing to be Happy instead of letting the stress eat us up every day, we are deliberately shunning the negativity, and that helps our minds and bodies to feel light and healthy, instead of heavy with frustration.

And... if yoo can turn your tails to that mean o' negativity and give it a good spray...all the better.

Now enjoy my paw'dcast. Hope it helps yoo Choose to be Happy.

Until Next Time...