A Little Positive- Focus Tool: Small, Snickering Joys

Today marks the 100th post on medium.com. 500–800 word articles. 100! I confess that I question the time investment on writing at least semi-polished articles that take four to six hours of development from the time I do the Morning Pages post, which initiates my thoughts, to the final posting in the evening, at which point I have touched the draft three times, usually.

I question the time involved because I have no income from this — trying to figure that out. I think I’m putting out quality content, but I continue to work through the business end of things. Because money is definitely part of our existence, I struggle at times. It makes writing hard — especially when I have done with this endeavor as I do with virtually anything to which I’ve ever really committed — takes the bulk of my energy, focus, and emotions. Sometimes I have had to power through and grind out the writing, forcing myself to shut out the distractions, the challenges to my passion.

I think that one of the little techniques I use might be helpful to others. I call it my Small, Snickering Joys. These are little mental pics that I have frolicking in my mind, things that make me chuckle or produce just a wisp of a smile.

What are these little thoughts? Dozens, maybe hundreds, of things like lines from movies — “Must go faster. Must go faster.” Images from nature like a dragonfly who showed off for me one day or planets shining extra bright in the night sky or hooting back and forth at an owl in my backyard. Favorite phrases from television shows — “You’re sitting in my spot.” Or quotes like the ones I shared from Albert Einstein the other day. Or starting sentences or paragraphs with a conjunction to make English teachers go “Tsk-tsk.” These are things that sit on the edges of my mind, waiting to jump into my conscious mind at the right second. Oh, wait, I almost forgot music; sometimes lyrics of favorite songs pop to the rescue.

What good do these thoughts do? They create instant little positive vibes that in some way distract from the stress or challenge for just a second or so. I envision that this creates a momentary vacuum that allows positive thoughts relevant to the stress, task, or challenge to flood into that little area. That extra couple of seconds is enough to shift me to at least say something intelligent if not totally positive, either to myself if I’m dealing with an internal challenge or to someone else if it’s external. Maybe, it’s deeper than that, too.

I think of this quote by Ralph Marston, a motivational writer: “Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.” Sometimes it’s the little things that require determination to stay positive, because the little things can create big problems if not attended to — “The little foxes spoil the vines.” My little Small, Snickering Joys provide one way to deal with the momentary challenges.

It’s so vital to know yourself and help that self develop. We need to have tools at our disposal. I hope that the next time negativity confronts the mind, thoughts, and heart that some Small, Snickering Joy might help you to make a quick, positive shift.

​“But we’re too busy singing / To put anybody down.” A happy song for me. Yep, that’ll do it.

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