Everything always passes, and everything is already okay. Stay in the place where you can see that, and nothing will resist you.
—Martha Beck
I met a woman at a recent networking event. We were able to connect our career passions and will be working on an upcoming project together. Positive!
During this connection, somehow the topic was shifted to my mother-in-law living with us and how we are enjoying the roller coaster of fun and wacky in our multigenerational home. Positive!
Then she asked me, “So tell me, do you really get along with your mother-in-law?”
Me: “Yes!”
Positive!
Her: “No, I’m mean really get along with her, as in she never gets on your nerves?”
Me: “Well, yes, I really get along with her, and yes, she can get on my nerves. Shoot, I even get on my own nerves, as does my hubby, and the kids. We’re a family, not robots. We can really work each others’ nerves – and then it passes and lovefest returns.”
Her: “That’s nice that you have such a positive attitude about this. My mother-in-law is the spawn of Satan and I have to smug the house after she visits.”
Totally not positive!
I have to admit it, I do have a positive outlook on my relationship with my mother-in-law. I mean, my energy does play a factor in our interactions, so why not keep it positive and upbeat? Now, I’m not saying I pretend everything is happy-go-lucky. That’s not being positive, that’s being fake, and we don’t have any room for that in our multigenerational home.
As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes we get it right, kinda right, or mega wrong. Then we reflect, rebuild, and move on in a positive manner. Grudges are silly and wasted energy and do not appear on our positive, multigenerational family, thinking spectrum.
I borrowed the 10 Ways to Create a Positive Day – and applied them to
10 Way to Create a Positive Multigenerational Family and Home.
1. Use affirmations – Read and listen to affirmations about the power and beauty of making and maintaining positive connections with your family.
2. Intention – Set your intention, each day, to have positive interactions with family members. Remember you set the tone for the type of energy you send out.
3. Mindfulness – Stay in the moment and notice the many miracles that are occurring for your family and you. Don’t look down the road. Focus on the right now.
4. Link to think -Pick something you do, as a family, frequently and use that as a guide to think a positive thought.
5. Gratitude – Keep a family gratitude journal. Each family should record something they are grateful for – on a daily basis. We all need to slow down and acknowledge this.
6. Inspiration – Read and watch inspirational and motivational material to lift your mood. (Positive Thinking Day said it best, and I completely agree.)
7. Positive people – Surround yourself with positive people who nurture your family and you. It’s great if you can connect with other healthy multigenerational families.
8. Kindness – Be kind to yourself and your family. Words and actions are powerful. Always act from a place of love.
9. Applied faith – Trust that every situation has the seeds for growth and opportunity. (Positive Thinking Day said it best, and I completely agree.)
10. Smile – Smile because it feels good and it makes you look good. Who doesn’t like to be greeted with a warm smile?
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