Positive Outlooks Improve Quality of Life

First of all, why maintain a positive outlook? A positive outlook, regardless of your situation can improve your quality of life no matter how ill you are.

When recently hospitalized at G.V. (sonny) Montgomery Veteran’s Medical Center, I met Len. He was my roommate, and he had multiple Sclerosis.

When I first entered the room, I thought, “Great, a guy who is ‘out-of-it’ and I don’t have to worry about what he wants to watch on TV, I can change the channel at will.” But I was wrong, he is very much with it.

His mind is sharp as a tack. His body however was another story. You see, he couldn’t move anything from the waist down. He could barely move his arms. The nurses had to do pretty much everything for him.

Furthermore, he isn’t exactly what I would call old; only 54, but his life’s endeavors seem to be forever anchored to his hospital bed.

You’d think Len would be unhappy and bitter, wouldn’t you? He isn’t. He is one of the most gracious people I’ve met. He regularly converses with the nursing staff as if talking to siblings. That said, when the staff orders-out for lunch or dinner, Len often has them order for him as well, and he often buys.

Additionally, he absolutely knows what shows are on TV as well as what time and channel. He said watching TV is one of the only things he can do, so he tries to enjoy it as much as he can.

I asked him how he manages to keep such a positive attitude. He said he used to feel sorry for himself. He used to be angry, but eventually, he realized his negative emotions were solving nothing.

He decided to make the most of his situation, and turned his attitude around. Isn’t that the only thing any of us can do? We have to decide to be positive. We have to decide to make the most of our situations. Think of the things you CAN do, instead of missing the things you used to do.

Sometimes the realities of life are cruel, and it’s up to us to change our attitudes which will improve our quality of life.