It’s amazing to me how much a story can change our thinking. A well written story can completely change the way we look at the world.
I really believe that reading throughout my life has helped to shape me into the empathetic person I am today.
I’ve seen outside perspectives from thousands of points of view. And, thanks to the authors of those stories, I’ve experienced all manner of different ways to react in those situations.
I hope I never stop reading. How else am I going to understand this crazy world?
I believe with all my heart that fictional words can change your outlook on life. How you look at a situation affects everything about it. If you convince yourself a situation is terrible, it will never get better.
It’s as much how you paint it as how others paint it. That’s not to say there aren’t terrible things that happen in this world, of course their are. How you choose to react to them is another matter.
I used to be a miserable, sullen person. I had problems getting energy, and finding enthusiasm for the things I wanted to do. I woke up thinking the world sucked, and I went to bed thinking the world sucks.
It wasn’t until I started to change my mind, until I started smiling at people instead of frowning, that my life started to change. That sullen grumpy asshole came back for a bit, when I first hurt myself, but as time passed, I came to realize my mood was affecting my health.
A year and a half removed from that, I’ve lost over a hundred and fifty pounds, and I’m still working to lose more. I know how hard it is to change your world view, I’ve done it recently. Happiness starts on the inside, if you’re looking elsewhere for it, you won’t find it.
Sumo Sized Ginger 