In today’s modern society it is becoming harder and harder not to focus on the negative.  WHY?  Because it seems to be all we hear about.  Whenever you turn the channel or open some sort of news/sometimes even blogs you are bombarded with tragedies that are happening around the world.  If you sign up for any kind of news alert I can bet you will receive more bad news than good. Today alone I received over 12 different news alerts about bombing in Afghanistan, killings in Iraq and how the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is becoming worse.  So how do we push the negative aside and focus on the little AWESOME things?  

A few nights ago I was at Chapters and saw a book called “The Book of Awesome”.  So obviously I picked it up.  A few days later I was thinking about it yet again and decided to Google it.  And what I found was more than I expected.      

Neil Pasricha started the 1000 Awesome Things Blog to remind himself of the good things in life and he has reached millions around the world.   Averaging 40,000 visitors a day Neil has people from every corner of the world reading his blog.  He started the blog during a bleak period of his life.  But he did not know that it would help him during some of the hardest times of his life.  After being told by his wife that she no longer loved him and losing his best friend to suicide (less than a month later) Neil used the blog as a coping tool.  Just to remind him of the AWESOME little things, that many forget.

Many followers of his blog also share stories of pain and sorrow.  Some stories surround their own and/or family members’ battles with depression and other mental illnesses.  Others are about someone’s battles with cancer.  Others deal with heartbreak and the hope that the book brought them during the rough times.  I know that all those stories are gloomier than one may hope but there are many stories about good times.  Some of my favourites are the ones of someone waking up and finding the book they ordered online at their door step and starting there day by reading them, another is about a 3 year old girl who keeps stealing her mom’s copy.  But what I really want to do is share with you some of my favourite Awesome little things from the book/blog:

#528 When your pet notices you’re in a bad mood and comes to see you

#529 Finally peeing after holding it forever

#538 Laughing so hard you start crying

#553 When a friend returns something they borrowed so long ago you forgot you owned it

#561 Letting the waves bury your feet at the beach

#570 When a little baby gives you a hug before it leaves

#619 When the person at the store tells you the thing you’re about to buy is going on sale tomorrow

#629 When it feels like the lyrics to the song you’re listening to were written just for you

#631 Coming back to your own bed after a long trip

#638 When the amount of toilet paper left on the roll is the exact amount you need

#662 Fixing your wedgie when no one’s looking

#669 Vacuuming a dirty carpet and hearing all the tiny rocks going through the hose

#743 Taking your high heels off at the end of the night and walking home in bare feet

#750 Dangling your feet in water

By Francesca