Optimism 101 - It Will Get Better

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Confession time: I'm in a bit of a slump. I'm in that strange, dark, "after graduation" limbo. Truth be told, I'm having a hell of a time getting motivated to do much of anything, (hence the lack of updates - sorry guys!) and the job search process has me more discouraged than I've felt in a while. And right now, though it feels like the absolute worst, I know that it will get better. Because it always does. Looking back on the last few years, I can honestly tell you that I've been down, man. Like really down. Like the "never planned to see 30" kind of down. I've made some really bad choices, been on the receiving end of some serious bullshit, gotten myself into, and subsequently out of, some really sticky situations. I've drank dangerously (and way too frequently) and experimented with some things (read: drugs), each time hoping it would be the last time. And, if three years ago you told me that one day, I'd be OK, I never would have believed you.

But you know what? You'd have been right.

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And through it all, I learned that things always get better, and that this too shall pass. I realize that it
never seems that way - I'm a realistic person, and I know that it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you're deep in the shit. I never thought I'd be happy, off medication, or well adjusted. I never thought I'd leave a job I was unhappy at after eight years. I never dreamed of coming out of the closet, slowing down at the bar and putting the party days behind me. But I did. It wasn't always ideal, and some things were easier to walk away from than others, but it was worth it. Things will always get better - all you have to do is shake it up a bit. Start making a few positive changes, and the rest will fall in line.

And so, here's a little gift just in time for Music Therapy Awareness Month - I give you some encouragement in the form of a quick playlist. Here's Optimism 101:

The Beatles - Getting Better
Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better
Rilo Kiley - A Better Son/Daughter
NERD - Things Are Getting Better
First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining
Modest Mouse - Float On
Sia - Death By Chocolate
Tom Petty - Won't Back Down (I used to belt this one out whilst driving in my car when things were really bad)
Born Ruffians - We Made It
Florence + The Machine - Shake it Out
Say Anything - Do Better
And, for Barb Murphy, Monty Python - Always Look on the Bright Side of Life