Recently, I was giving a friend some advice on a problem they had and they asked me how I managed to stay so “happy” all the time. My reply? “Who says I’m happy all the time? I have my down days just like anyone else, and most of the time I’m unhappy for one reason or another. The only difference is I choose when and to whom I want to show my emotions”. I strongly believe all human beings have some level of power and influence over everything and everyone around them. It’s the reason someone’s energy can lift up the mood in the whole room; the reason to be poor argue and everyone else feels the tension, even if they just walked in on the silence; the reason laughter is contagious and seeing someone cry makes you concerned.
So, with regards to my friend, if I’m trying to cheer them up the sight of a smile on my face starts to do the job before I’ve said a word. It’s easier to convince someone they can achieve something (in this case, happiness) if they can already see it in you. So the same words I would have said to them anyways carry more weight simply because they noticed me smile.
The thing with this power we have over our surroundings, it’s there whether we realise it or not, always turned on, always radiating its influence. Even if we ignore it, we can still make a throwaway comment that ruins someone’s day or inspires them to achieve great things in life. We can be in a bad mood and not realise where dragging others down. We can be in a good mood and put a smile on a stranger’s face. We can accidentally glance in someone’s direction and filled them with anxiety or excitement.
But what if we decided to use this superpower, for good? We could lift up the mood of everyone around us and in turn, because their superpower is also always turned on, they make us feel better as well. In other words, we can make ourselves feel better by making others feel better. It’s the reason why it feels good to help others. Or, we could use this power to change minds and hearts. If we noticed someone in the wrong, do we condemn and dismiss them or do try and teach them? Not everyone will listen or learn, but those who do will do better next time. And others around them could, in turn, learn the same way. A snowball effect of knowledge and positivity spreading forward through time, all made possible because you decided to use your powers for good.
Obviously, this power works in reverse as well. People will use it negatively. It’s unavoidable but easily addressed. How? Don’t ignore your power. Acknowledge you have it and start actively using it in any capacity you are willing or able. Do one good thing every day no matter how small. Give someone a compliment; pickup/tidy some litter; cure cancer; solve world hunger. It does not matter, to spread some positivity in whatever way you can. In the end, all that matters is our powers are being used for more good than bad, spreading more love than hate, giving more joy than sorrow. It may not seem like it, but believe me, the reach of your individual power is much larger than you will ever know. Don’t let it go to waste.
Oh, and just in case you WERE wondering how I stay happy, to an extent, these are my personal superheroes. My very own Avengers.
