Why can’t you be in a good mood? How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and be in a good mood once in a while?

-Lloyd Dobler “Say Anything”

It was a tough day at work and the boss had sent me an unexpected one-on-one meeting invite. I knew what that meant: nothing good.

The exact form the bad news would take took over my mind. What had someone else said about me? I knew I hadn’t done wrong, but I did not know what kind of mean-spirited rumors were being spread.

I’d been living in this attitude of dread for months. This meeting was a spark to a very ready panic.

I knew it. I’d been trying to find my way out of this pit of despair for some time. I’d found a new friend who was helping me. I’d shared my story.

“I’m not making this up! I have proof, evidence that there are things happening behind my back!” I wailed.

She nodded. “I believe you,” she said.

What  a relief! I barely believed myself. Surely I had some something to deserve this ill-treatment. How could people be this cruel when I’d done nothing wrong?

“But what if you didn’t have to feel trapped? What if you could see this as good news?”

This was a troubleshooting question. I was used to working with tricky equipment and wires. I’d often found incorrect routing and connections to be the problem.

What if I could try to see if I could believe this was possible?

My past experience would lead me to think it was not. But it was possible, even if it was a small chance.

I could hang on to that small chance. I decided that I would not let the dread over take me. I dropped a flag in the ground and declared that it would be good.

It didn’t take away the fear or what could happen. But I set my mind to look for what could be good. 

It let some air in, and I was able to breath and be more free.

It’s not impossible. Good things do happen. Even when I make them myself.