How many of you have experienced some happy times during the pandemic? And how many of you feel a little guilty about those times times your were happy? No, I’m not suggesting that we’re happy with the pandemic. How could we be? Of course, we can’t wait for the evil fucking thing to be eradicated forever.

I’m just suggesting that sometimes we feel happy and possibly even a little inspired and as soon as we are we'll be just as soon in an environment, mostly online, with a whole bunch of folk who kind of want to drag us into the realm of being miserable because, hey, the world is coming to an end, for fuck sake, you have to be miserable about it right?

I’m talking about that inertia of negativity that a lot of folks buy into.

Don’t speak for the rest of us

I’ll let you into a little secret that’s not really a secret but I just love the idea that it is. People don’t like being miserable alone. They need an accomplice. If their world is coming to an end they sure as shit are not going to experience it on their own.

I sense and hear it amongst groups of people at times on social media particularly. Usually, the person leading the conversation talks in terms of ‘you’ or if they’re feeling particular brave they may even say ‘we’. Like why does this type of person feel the need to speak for everyone in the fucking room?

I can speak for myself thanks.

Look. This post isn’t directed toward people who are suffering beyond their control? I’m not talking about people who are suffering genuinely with mental health problems or are at the effect of the pandemic directly thru either themselves being sick or a family member being sick, or heaven forbid worse. I’ve had chats with friends who are isolated and are struggling and I have no idea how I’d react in their situation. I’m very fortunate I don’t have the challenges a lot of people do.

I’m talking about the kind of person who likes to bitch for the sake of it. The kind of person that could win the lottery tomorrow and develop the ability to fly and turn water into wine but they’ll still find something to bitch about.

The problem is a shit load of people just want to bitch and moan. For some … it could be that the majority of the people they know are like that. And the reality is it’s difficult to swim against that tide. It’s often a case of If you can’t beat them join them.

Why do these people insist on bitching?

I’m glad you asked. They do it because when they are bitching about their lot in life they don’t have to do anything with their life. It’s like life is happening to them. ‘It’s not their fault. It’s the world’s thought’. So they bitch. In short they are lazy.

Ask a negative person if they are in charge of their life they will inevitably tell you that they are. Take it from me, I know, I’ve asked them. I know how to have a good time :)

If that is the case, that they are in charge, why are they choosing to bitch? It doesn’t make sense. Bitching is negative. And if I’m bitching I’m the one who gets to experience the negative feelings. The pandemic couldn’t give a toss. The people, the things, the situations I’m being critical and bitching about don’t care either.

The reality is I can’t do anything about the pandemic. I don’t have a choice about what goes on outside of me. What I do have a choice about is my stance in relation to what is going on.

I can choose to bitch. Or I can choose to see it as an opportunity.

“Ok charlie big bollocks,” I hear you ask, “What sort of opportunity can I create in a pandemic?”

You see it’s only someone who is negative, a victim to life, that would ever ask that question in the first place.

Being Responsive

Do you know someone who is responsive to life, who takes charge, who sees they have a choice could never get upset about what I’m writing here? It would be impossible for them to get upset about this. They’d just choose to see what is written here as a positive thing. Even if they disagreed with what I’m saying it’d just pass through them. It wouldn’t effect them in any way. They’re in charge of their own experience relative to things.

As for the victims of this world - I’m excited to hear your thoughts.

A clubhouse change

By the way. I’m not digging out social media. Social media is us. People. And we’ll make of it what we will. I’ve recently been spending time on the social media platform Clubhouse and I have to say my experience has been incredibly positive. It may be just my good fortune but I don’t think so. There is a kind of we’re all in it together vibe, not so many egos, and people on there seem to just want to chill and chat and share their insights.

All it takes is finding the right place to hang out and nurturing that stuff.

G