This story is about positivity and negativity and how we can lead our grands to choose the glass-half-full mentality. Our personality type is in our DNA and we pass this on to our children and grands. When I say DNA, I am not specifically referring to our genetic code in the scientific sense. What I mean is that every woman over the age of 50 is born with a general level of happiness.

How to Share the “Glass Half Full” Mentality With Your Grandchildren

Today, I wanted to talk about ways a woman can condition herself to live in a positive way and share that positivity with the next generation.

I tell personal stories because, as women, we have similar situations and thoughts. Communication leads to knowledge and ideas. Reading about another woman’s way of dealing with life and its many adventures makes you reflect on your own.

I have always seen the glass as half full, tried to make lemonade out of lemons and in times of disappointment, I pick myself up and start all over again. As I like to say it, I have a rose-colored glasses attitude.

Do you dream that ‘the best is yet to come’ and ‘climb the stairs’ to make your desires come true? That is my definition of wearing rose-colored glasses and I do. I really do. Every day of my life, I do something to make myself smile. And every day I am grateful for my blessings. Every day I find joy in simple pleasures and strive for a life full of meaning.

And I want you to follow my lead and your grands will follow your example, darling!

Remove Roadblocks to Enjoy Your Success!

Do You See the Glass Half Full? Do the “Honey Test”

Having a positive outlook, I believe, begins in your DNA. Our DNA has a direct effect on our social behavior, our view on life, and ultimately our happiness. (You can read more about how I believe your positivity or negativity is in your DNA here.) I see the glass as half full and always have, and I was lucky to be born with a positive mindset.

However, I’ve realized not everyone sees the world this way and I often wonder how much has to do with our genes. So one day I did a “Honey test.”

Years ago, my darling grandson was spending the day with me. It was time for milk and cookies. Into the kitchen he toddled, holding onto my hand. I sat him down at the kitchen table and walked to the kitchen cabinet to take out his favorite cup. Inspiration struck… I had an idea…

I filled up a glass half full and sat down across from him with the glass between us. Lowering my head down to his eye level, I asked “Robbie! Do you see this glass of water as half empty or half full?”

I prayed he would say, “half full.”

There was a long pause as he looked and looked. “I see the glass half full, Honey.”

“I am so happy you did!” I exclaimed. “Don’t move while I go into the other room. I will be right back.”

Seeing the Glass Half Full Is a Blessing

After giving him a huge kiss, I happily raced into the den, grabbed a piece of construction paper and four magic markers, red, yellow, green and blue.

I took the construction paper, the “half full glass” of water and the markers and I printed at the top of the paper, “Always see the glass half full.”

Under the headline I drew four tall glasses. Then, I let him color the glasses half way, one green, one blue, one yellow, and one red. We munched on Oreo cookies and I told him a story that I hoped he might understand about his profound answer. Lastly, I signed the picture. “I love you, HONEY.”

Of course he was too young to understand the importance of his words, but I was thrilled. So thrilled that I gave the painting to his mother to frame. Alas, it was lost.

Life Is But a Bowl of Cherries, Even With the Pits

Hills and Valleys

Over the course of his growing up I would often mentioned our day together, the story, the lesson and its meaning. I have explained to him that everyone has some hills and valleys in their lives and to “see the glass half full” is a blessing.

I tell him, “Race up you mountains and climb you way out of your valleys.” As he has seen his grandmother do.

This story has gone “full circle!” I had an artist replicate “our” drawing in an oil painting that hangs behind his desk in his office.

After he hung the painting, he called, and this was our conversation: “Honey, I hung the painting. It will hang behind every desk in every office I have all of my life. I love you so much, Honey.”

And, “I love you, Robbie, all the days of my life.”

I believe that these stories should be remembered. Whether it is a special memory that you shared with a grand or one from your own childhood that shaped you that your grands should know. This is why I wrote my book, so you can share your stories with your grands in a way that stands the test of time. It’s filled with prompts that bring out the storyteller in you. Sharing our stories is how we share our world.

Do You Make Lemonade?

What about you, dear reader? Are you like myself and Robbie? Do you see the glass as half full?

If you have a hard time with this, do not fear, you can learn! Believe me there are times when I struggle with this, especially over the last year as I’ve dealt with the poor health of my ultimate concierge. But choosing to find joy is just that, a choice.

If you were born with a negative set to your DNA, you will have to try harder. You must learn how to fill your toolbox with positive mechanics to face life conditions while the positive-thinking woman’s toolbox overflows with happiness because of positive genetics.

Truly, a positive nature is a blessing. Bitterness is a curse.

Learning to lead a positive life is well worth a woman over 50’s effort.

Admittedly, it is easier for me to see the bright side of life. It comes naturally because of my genes but don’t count yourself out.

So how can you find the positive and see the glass as half full? Try, try, try darling. And practice, practice, practice. You cannot change your genetic makeup but you can condition yourself.  The next time you find yourself reaching for your whoa-was-me glass half empty self-talk, tell yourself a new story. Tell your grands a news story. You will be so happy that you did.