Chronically Joyful

Something I have learned in 2025 is to stop taking everything personally. In fact, I am hoping to master this by the beginning of 2026; this mindset makes such a critical difference in every aspect of life, it possesses immediately tangible results. 

When something occurs that I do not find favorable, I no longer respond from a place of “why would someone do this to me?” Instead, I choose to look at it as a challenge to overcome in the easiest (most fun) way possible. Realizing that everyone is walking their own individual path and focused on virtually everything that isn’t you has been freeing. A few examples: 

Someone doesn’t reply to me within a few hours, or even a day – they don’t like me that much.

Instead of internalizing this from a perspective of “I am less than, so therefore they do not desire to talk to me,” while I may experience that thought, I just release it. I allow it, and I let it pass. In deciding not to give that particular thought power, I no longer waste precious energy ruminating on factors that likely are not true, are are also outside of my control. 

I don’t feel social today, that person probably hates me for saying no to plans. 

This is one of my personal favorites; why would you want to show up somewhere already knowing that you are not bringing the best version of yourself forward? I can almost promise that said person does not harbor any negative feelings toward you; one ultimate lesson I’ve also learned in adult life is that most folks appreciate canceled plans. We all just want to go to bed LOL. 

Someone excluded me from being able to attend an event. 

This is where I like to use a phrase often tossed around in my field – “assume positive intent.” I don’t look at instances like this example as “they’re just out to get me” or “they intentionally excluded me from this fun thing.” I prefer to perceive moments like this as opportunities for myself to focus on cultivating the positive mindset I continue to foster and cherish. Instead of taking these things as a personal attack, I just accept things for what they are. Yes, it happened; no, I didn’t like it. The next step in this scenario, however, is absolutely in my personal control, and that comes down to my response to the situation. I accept things as they are with an open heart and choose to reply in kindness. In this particular case, my kind response was silence and reflection. 

When I make decisions that are for my personal best interest, it is never my intention for others to take those decisions personally. My intentions are anchored in the interest of everyone’s highest good, so I’ve taken to assuming the same across the board for everyone else. Life is 90% outside of our personal control, so why spend the short time we have on this planet spiraling over the unknown? 

Since selecting what I like to call a more “stoic” mindset, my emotional control is at an all-time high and my happiness is consistently vivacious. Even in the moments of shock, darkness or unfortunate surprise, I always return here. My mental state is in my control, and I choose to live in a mental world where everything is always going to be okay. 

Living this way makes maintaining my personal peace incredibly easy, and is something I would encourage others (especially those dealt a pretty crummy medical hand) to consider adopting! 

I have learned that life truly is what we make it. In 2024, I let my external circumstances rule my every action and thought – it was a year shrouded in darkness that left me drained and wishing for more, even when good things were happening. In dedicating myself to deeper self-work in 2025, it didn’t remove hardship from my life, not in the slightest. The gift I have received in all of this would be the tools needed to maintain a healthy, positive mental environment. It has helped me to build true resilience, where I feel unstoppable even in moments of doubt or fear. 

Living with MS for the last ~11 years, I cannot stress enough just how important a healthy mental diet is. I’ve been there – feeling less-than because of this illness; feeling like I don’t deserve good things in life; feeling like it isn’t worth it at the end of the day because I’m “doomed” for a harder end. 

None of the above is true. I can only work with what I know to be true. And that truth? 

Everything is going to be just fine.