I had a nice chuckle as I sat down this morning to write this post, because it's focused on optimism and this is the first post that missed its month. It should have been posted in September, but here we are: October 1st. Maybe it's mocking me or maybe it's the perfect step into optimism. Either way, I just have a feeling that we could all use a little optimism in our lives at this point. So, I asked the Runes to give us some insight into this hopeful idea.
The simplicity of their guidance is reassuring. They gave me Mannaz, Wunjo, and Gebo.
The subtle reminder provided by Mannaz, the humanity Rune, tells us we're all humans; all imperfect, but that's okay. One of the marvelous things about imperfection is its variety. And, we all know that variety is the spice of life. But, the more important message behind this Rune is also that, as humans, we can decide how we perceive things and what we do with them. We can choose to turn away from negative perceptions and emotions and responses to things that take us outside of our comfort zone. Because, let's face it; there's a reason it's called a "comfort" zone even though it may not be the best place for us. It's familiar and we liken familiar with good, which isn't necessarily true.
Wunjo is an interesting choice to follow on Mannaz, especially because we may liken our comfort zone to a happy place. So, does the joy Rune tell us that we should stick to our comfort zone? Is it countering Mannaz? I don't think so. I think it is challenging us to find true happiness, to broaden our comfort zone and truly make it a space filled with joy. That means we have to make that decision to turn away from negative perceptions, emotions, and responses. If we accept negativity, how will we achieve happiness? We won't. In this way, Wunjo offers encouragement to reject negativity in all forms and pointing out that, because we are human, we can do it. I've given many readings to people with a similar message: focus on the positive. Often times, their response is to say that they don't know how to do that. My response is always the same. You just do it. You make a conscious choice to be happy. It occurs to me that what Wunjo in second position is suggesting is that choosing to be optimistic is the first step toward joy.
Our third Rune, Gebo the gift Rune, reinforces optimism in no uncertain terms. The ability to choose optimism, especially when the world seems so full of negative energy today, is an incredibly powerful gift that we can give to ourselves. Our own optimism can spread to others too. The most amazing part is that we can all do that simply by making that conscious choice. Making the choice is easy, but following through on it may not be. Remaining optimistic in the face of obstacles real or perceived isn't necessarily easy, but the joy that awaits you on the optimistic path is worth it and so are you.
My being able to publish a blog post every month is a small thing, but I am optimistic about being able to do it and it is okay that other things in my life needed my attention this month. I am still optimistic I will get October's post done before November arrives. In case you're wondering, some of those other things in my life that needed my time this month aren't simple little things like writing a monthly blog post, and I am letting you know that so that you know you are not alone in facing beasts, turning away from negativity, and making a conscious effort to focus on optimism to make yourself happier. I'm with you and I am sure that many other people who read this blog are too.
No comments:
Post a Comment