In case you’re new here, I’m Victoria Elizabeth and I’m a die-hard optimist.

Normally.

Today, I was feeling a bit out of my element.

You see, I received some bad news this morning (news that I’m not yet ready to share with the general public, unfortunately) and I found myself – for the first time in a long time – expecting the worst.

I’m not used to a pessimistic outlook. It’s extremely rare for me to be scared, angered, or to feel that certain elements of life are unfair.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m human. I have my bad days. I can be morose with the best of them. The difference between others and I, though, is that I tend to talk myself out of my bad days pretty quickly. I find that tiny thing that I can grasp on to, that little ray of sunshine, to pull myself back out of it.

It wasn’t happening today.

Fortunately, I’m surrounded by people that know [and love] the true me. The happy-go-lucky me. And, on these rare days where I cannot pull myself out of my funk, I can count on one of them to smack the nonsense right out of me.

I received some bad news today.

At least I found out early enough that I can do something about it.

Life can be unfair sometimes.

Yes, both for the good and the bad. I’ve been blessed way beyond what I deserve more often than I’ve been cheated/hurt by life.

I’m scared.

I have friends and family that love me and will be by my side.

I’m angry.

The perfect opportunity to channel that emotion it into a story, poem, or script. I’m so rarely angry, I need to take advantage of the few times I feel it.

A close friend reminded me today that one of the things they find most inspiring about me is my steadfast optimism. I have faith in the goodness of people, the goodness of organizations, and the goodness of life, in general.

Even when presented with a bad situation, I’m prone to seek out the good. I seek the silver lining to the ominous, terrifying clouds and still believe that things will work out well in the end.

I’ve found my happy place again and it feels good.

Optimism may be a choice for some, but it’s my way of life – and my friends won’t let me forget it.

Positivity is a beautiful thing,

~ Victoria Elizabeth