I will raise my hand and admit that I am one of those who sees the glass half empty, I don't know why I am like this, bitter and I complain about everything, my vision is clouded by my gray cloud, I think I am so bitter that I could make 10 posts complaining, I won't do it. I am working on it. I want to tell some small anecdotes of situations throughout my life that have made me rethink my way of thinking, they have not been extraordinary situations or anything out of the ordinary, on the contrary they have been everyday, simple situations, those moments that are supposed to be lost in your memory:

The first time I remember realizing that my thoughts are more negative than some people's was when I was about 11 years old, I remember watching a Disney Channel series like every day, right now I don't remember which series it was, but I do remember a little of the episode to summarize it was about the protagonist falling in love with a Venezuelan girl (that echoed in my mind because naming Venezuela in series and movies is not common like for example hearing something related to France, Italy, Japan, among others), but then the protagonist sees that this girl was flirting with another, I automatically thought "what a shame, the only time I see Venezuela mentioned in a TV show and they show her as if she were a slut", then at the end of the chapter it turns out that they were twin sisters, one was dating the protagonist and the other was dating the other boy, anyway, I was still dismayed even though everything was resolved, the next day at school talking to my friends about the episode of the series one of them comments so happy and excited that the protagonist had fallen in love with a girl Venezuelan girl, I was left thinking about what she said, she decided to see the happy and exciting side, I on the other hand saw the dark side, it intrigued me, I asked myself why I was so bitter about that little thing.

The second situation I remember was during my college days. Back then I used to respond to messages from unknown numbers in the most frivolous and hateful way possible. Well, back then people still used text messages and there weren't people trying to scam you with links of dubious origin and that kind of scam. One day I called a classmate about a job, he didn't answer me right away, but after a while he sent me a text message, in a polite, friendly and kind way, asking who the person was calling and that he would be happy to take the call. I thought, wow, it doesn't cost anything to be nice, how nice it is to read messages like that and even better would be to write them. Why walk around with a gray cloud in my life when I can be calm? Well, today and with so many scammers I prefer not to answer any message or call.

Another situation in which two people taught me a lesson: I don't like to cook, I'm one of those who prefers to wash the dishes and every time I can mention that I hate cooking, that I dislike cooking I don't miss the opportunity. One day talking about any random thing with a girl, she tells me "I want to go home and prepare a delicious dinner for my husband and me..." she continued describing what she was going to cook, it was something very elaborate I remember, I know I made a thousand faces horrified just thinking about the annoyance it would give me to do everything she was describing and as always I added my acid comment that I don't like to cook, to which she responded and said: "You can't be lazy to cook, feed your body, it's the one that takes you and brings you everywhere... I do love to eat and I love to prepare a good meal." She said other things that I don't remember, but she gave me a beautiful speech, I even felt inspired to cook, I also felt like a fool, how can I love myself so little that I don't allow myself to prepare a good meal? Every time I feel lazy to cook I try to remember what she told me.

My daughter also taught me a lesson. We were walking home, I sighed and said, "Oh no, I have to cook for you," and she said, "Calm down, just think about the delicious food you're going to eat." I felt proud and happy to hear her say that.

One of the last times someone inadvertently taught me a lesson was when my daughter's school told the parents that they were going to give us the Qaliwarma bag. context:

In schools where there are no cafeterias for students, they are given a monthly bag containing some food such as rice, oats, tuna and other foods. The point is that when they gave us the notice that we had to go get that food, I wrote to a friend who is Venezuelan like me, asking her if she was going to get the food. I also made some jokes saying that I was a little embarrassed and that this felt like in Venezuela when they give out the CLAP boxes (it is also a dubious food program of the government). I don't know if it is because of my trauma with socialism, but I felt strange going to school and receiving that food. Now speaking more seriously with my friend I expressed how I felt about it and she told me, "I don't see it that way, I see it as a blessing, food is a blessing." I didn't have anything else to say to that, but it did make me think. Once again I was seeing the negative side of things and not the positive.

There have been other times when I have noticed my negativity, but those are the ones I remember most clearly. Many times I shield myself by saying that I don't want to fall into toxic positivism or that I prefer to prepare myself and expect bad things so as not to be disappointed. I also say things like "I'm not negative, I'm a realist," but if I do some introspection I realize that I go overboard with my negative thoughts to the point that on some occasions they have generated some anxiety. I am working on trying to see the bright side, the good side, on focusing on the opportunities and not on the impediments. I admit that it is difficult work, you have to deconstruct your psyche and reconfigure yourself again.

As an activity for today, I will give thanks for what I appreciate and love in my life: My family is alive, my daughter loves me and lives with me, my husband loves me and cooks delicious food, we have a place to live and food on our table, I can work from home and watch my daughter grow, in fact right now I am listening to her singing an improvised song while she puts several bows of different colors in her hair.

Are you one of those who sees the glass half full or half empty? What do you have to be thankful for today?