After having been in remission for some time, one of my neighbors is very ill with cancer. The ambulance has been to her house several times over the last month and she’s not doing too well at the moment. I can only imagine how terrible I would feel if a member of my family were suffering this way–but her husband always has a smile on his face. Whenever we speak about his wife and her condition, he chats in such a friendly manner. If I didn’t know what he is going through with his wife right now, I would never guess his situation. I know that he must suffer a great deal inside but he is showing the world a positive face.

I believe that stress can really harm a person’s health and well-being. That’s why a positive attitude is so important. I’m not talking about a “fake” positive attitude either. I’m talking about how you choose to feel positive about the good things in your life–even when you are also experiencing some difficult things.

For me, my neighbors are an inspiration: the wife, because she’s persevering and fighting the fight of her life–again; the husband, because he maintains a more positive attitude than I would be able to in his situation. Take some time to appreciate what is good in your life right now and be positive about it. You’ll be able to deal with stress better and handle the not-so-good things more easily.