Happy Hump Day and Happy All Saints Day or All Hallows Day! For many in Latin American countries, this day is far bigger than Halloween. It is a day to celebrate Christian martyrs and saints known and unknown, celebrating the connection between the living and the deceased. In Catholicism, it is a day of reverence and often, a day of Holy Obligation requiring attendance at Holy Mass.
The day is marked world-wide with religious ceremonies, grave attendance and markings (placing flowers and gifts in memoriam), and various feasts and parties.
The post today is not about All Saints Day, but the connection is kind of there. The post is about finding positivity or reasons to be positive and grateful when seemingly, the world is in turmoil. The news most days, is depressing.
The title is a quick grab from a book written by Norman Vincent Peale, by the same name. Peale was a protestant clergyman and author. His book, The Power of Positive Thinking has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is still accessible in many stores and online.
Simplified, the concept Peale wrote about is how maintaining a positive outlook, a commitment to faith, would produce positive outcomes for folks in terms of reduced anxiety, better sleep, better relationships, more opportunities for life successes, etc. (note, here’s the connection to All Saints Day, the faith stuff).
In the book, Peale provides ten rules for “overcoming inadequacy attitudes and learning to practice faith” (there’s another connection for today).
- Picture yourself succeeding.
- Think a positive thought to drown out a negative thought.
- Minimize obstacles.
- Do not attempt to copy others.
- Repeat “If God be for us, who can be against us?” ten times every day.
- Work with a counselor.
- Repeat “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” ten times every day.
- Develop a strong self-respect.
- Affirm that you are in God’s hands.
- Believe that you receive power from God.
Now, I’m not one to suggest or imply that one faith or one’s belief in God (or lack thereof) is a panacea for success or happiness. I am a spiritual person and each day, I spend time in devotion, but I also work hard. I try to practice what I study in terms of leadership, treating others with kindness and respect, and being grateful for all that I have, sharing the same, and never assuming I have worth more than anyone else.
I abhor discrimination and today, detest the political dialogue that is ripe with name calling, personal destruction. I also cannot condone any form of religious or sectarian violence, perpetrated to simply wipe one group of people off the planet. Any ideology of hate should find no refuge or home. I openly admit, I have good, very good, friends that are Jewish and/or Jews.
But in the end, this post is not about me (though I am the author). I am trying to preach a bit today in hope that this message resonates with all who read it. We can and should, be better. We can and should, do better. We can and should, demand better of our politics and our politicians.
I borrowed the theme from Norman Vincent Peale, not that I think his book is a singular answer or that his themes, and his concepts and theories were prima facie, better than other “self-help/self-improvement” concepts. I borrowed it because I personally, like how he starts and where he starts from. It works for me.
I think, if I can improve me, and you all work to improve you, the world gets better exponentially. I know I can always improve and despite my extended time already on this planet, I have obvious work to do. I going to keep on working on “me”. So Happy Hump Day, Happy All Saints Day, and to my Jewish friends and family (close enough), Shalom!
