PositLive Music: “Better Days”
“Better Days” Written by: Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, and John Nathaniel Released: March 25, 2020 The writers of this song, including lead singer Ryan Tedder, were inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic (Source). The promise of “better days” is in the context of a global pandemic. However, the lyrics to the song can be applied to any situation in which we might feel helpless. This song is about having hope that better days will come whenever we’re faced with such situations. Select PositLive Music: Lyrical Playlist to view all playlist songs as they’re being added.Select Exploring New Ways to PositLive to read about the inspiration for PositLive Music. “Better Days” Sung…
“Anything that makes you weak–physically, intellectually and spiritually–reject it as poison.”
A poison is anything that can cause illness or death to a living thing. This quote, by Swami Vivekananda, helps us recognize that toxic people, environments, and situations are poisonous. They make us weak physically, intellectually, and spiritually. We would undoubtably reject poison in its tangible form. However, we don’t always reject it in the other ways it can appear in our lives. So, let us remember to reject the things that cause similar harm–The things that ill or deaden our body, mind, and soul.
Living Life Poetically: 2020
2020 has definitely been a challenging year for many of us. Through it, we may have felt pain, sadness, loss, and loneliness in a way we’ve never felt before. But coming to this moment with the year at a close means we somehow managed to push through it all. We may have discovered new ways to cope; and we may have realized we’re stronger than we expected–especially with the support of each other. Perhaps we take less for granted. Perhaps we discovered an appreciation for the little things. The poem, “2020”, is a reflection on a year that has been horrendous. But with time, we may find the silver lining…
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“Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.”
“Don’t go back to less, just because you’re too impatient to wait for more.”
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
“Pray, and let God worry.”
There’s a lot of meaning and value packed into this short quote by Martin Luther. “Pray, and let God worry”–five words and two calls to action that can be life-altering. They seem simple, however it’s easy to forget to pray–step 1. And if and when we do pray, we forget step 2. We hang on to our worry instead of handing it over to God. Together, both steps may not come naturally. They may take time to develop and become a habit. They require a lot of faith and trust that everything will eventually work out for the best. But once mastered, it becomes much easier to surmount any of…
Living Life Poetically: In His Words
The poem,”In His Words,” can have a different meaning, or message, depending on what you’re going through or have gone through. Therefore, I’m not going to spend any time prescribing meaning. Instead, I will talk about its significance. The poem is structured around three bible verses from the New Testament. They are Matthew 16:24, Matthew 11:30, and 2 Corinthians 12:9–in that order. These verses are words spoken by Jesus and written in third person. In fact, the verses actually help make up the first line of each stanza. Meanwhile, the remaining words in each stanza express my reflection. Furthermore, the remaining words provide context and connection between each verse. Read,…
“It’s only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.”
There are so many stories of people going through “dark hours” only to discover a strength they never knew was there. These stories fill history books, novels, the Bible, and our own lives. Unfortunately, the fact that we would need to go through hard times (or dark hours) to know our true strength, as this quote by Doe Zantamata suggest, doesn’t sound very exciting. It’s a step most of us would rather skip; and understandably so. It would be nice to know our true strength without any unpleasantness or discomfort. But how can we realize it if we’re never faced with situations that require strength to begin with? “It’s only…
This Too Shall Pass
“This Too Shall Pass” is an adage that is both universal and timeless. So much so that it’s somewhat uncertain when and where it comes from. It has appeared in various forms and translations throughout different cultures and centuries. It has appeared in Jewish folklore about the bible’s King Solomon as well as in 13th-century Persian literature (among other origins). The main idea in the saying is that nothing in the human condition lasts forever. Anything that happens, good or bad, will one day pass. This can be both humbling and consoling. When life feels arduous or your situation feels unbearable, it is rather consoling to know that “this too…
The difference between treating a physical vs. an emotional wound is that one heals faster when it’s covered and the other doesn’t
There’s a common misconception that it’s better to leave wounds exposed to let them air out–dry up and heal. Forget the bandaid. But…WRONG. Covering up wounds and keeping them moist, not dry, is what actually promotes healing. However, the opposite rule applies to emotional wounds. While covering up physical wounds promotes faster healing, doing the same with emotional ones only causes them to fester. Instead, it’s best to air out the emotional wounds. Don’t cover them up or avoid them. Face them. Lift them up in prayer. Talk about them with those you can trust, and talk about them with yourself through self-reflection. Because that is how those kinds of…
Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.
This quote, by Charles Spurgeon, is a great reminder that the time we spend worrying about tomorrow doesn’t really do anything to make tomorrow any better. Instead, it robs us of our strength and enjoyment of today. It robs us of our joy, passion, and motivation; making us more prone to fatigue, procrastination, and even depression. So, instead of ruining today by worrying about tomorrow, seek to find hope. But more importantly, seek to find faith, in which hope can be firmly grounded. Read The Serenity Prayer.
Whether good or bad, it’s yet another day; and tomorrow can be better
In life, not every day is going to be great. Sometimes, with our best effort, we’re lucky if the day is just okay. Some days might be sad, devastating, or simply boring–despite our effort to find joy. It’s especially on such days that we need to have this phrase ringing in our ears. No matter what, it’s yet another day that God’s given us. With all our faults, none of us can ever “merit” this gift each day. But if you’re reading this, you’ve got it. And no matter how crappy the day is, you have an opportunity to make tomorrow be better. Quote by: Esthella B
