Are you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person? These days, with bad news coming at us like a torrent every day, it is difficult to keep a positive outlook. It can almost seem naïve to see the world as a good, happy, healthy place. But the picture needs to both widen and narrow to bring a clearer perspective.

It needs to be widened so that you are looking at things from a historical perspective. This world has gone through many horrible times, but then we go through amazing times. That is a cycle that repeats itself throughout the centuries. If all that you are seeing are scary, bad things, trust that good things are coming. They always do.

We need to narrow our scope to cut out that flow of negative news to focus on what is going on right in front of us. This is a more mindful way of living. Right now in this moment, can you hear music? Stop. Listen. Appreciate. Right now, can you smell something good cooking? Stop. Smell. Appreciate. Right now, can you see something beautiful? Stop. Look. Appreciate. Same with taste and touch. As we stay in the moment and appreciate, truly appreciate, what we are experiencing, it makes life better.

A positive perspective allows us to tolerate the bad times, allows us to hang on, until the good times come back. And they always do!