Stop reading FML! (Day 48: 4/17/10)

What's the good news?

I don't know if I have talked about this already, but I feel the need to speak about it today because it is important. Today I overheard someone talking about a few mishaps that happened to them, and at the end of their rant came the dooming statement, FML.

If you don't know what that means, it is interwebs speak for F*** My Life. I don't really know where it started, and I don't really care. It's dangerous for people who want to create their reality.

There is a whole website dedicated to the term, where people write about crappy things that happen to them, and other people read them. I used to read FML's every single day. It's starts off something like. "I think they are funny because it's not happening to me" and then it goes to, "I had a sucktastic day so I am going to read about bad things happening to other people so that I can feel better about myself" and then sooner or later it becomes, "I know exactly what that person is going through...I feel bad for them. I feel bad for myself."

Just stop it. Even if you are just reading it now because you think it is funny. Let me tell you something, just because it isn't happening to you doesn't really mean that it CAN'T happen to you. You are letting negativity into your life just by reading it, and thus putting you in line for the kinds of stuff that you are laughing about.

You don't need it. If you need something to laugh about, find a funny joke website, or think about something that makes you laugh. I watch Family Guy when I want to laugh.

For a more productive alternative, there are websites that act as the opposite of FML. Try GMH (Gives me Hope: http://www.givesmehope.com/) or YML (Yay My life: yaymylife.com)

I admit that sometimes the stories seem unrealistic, but they do a lot more good than FML.

I remember back when I decided to stop reading FML. I actually remember that when I read it every day religiously, that was when I was going through my depression. I'm not going to say that when I stopped reading it, my life got all happy and dandy, but there was a HUGE difference in the way I did stuff. I stopped saying, "This and this happened. FML" and instead I would start saying, "WOW, This happened! Yay! I love my life!"

It's a huge difference.

If you are an avid reader of the site FML, or you catch yourself saying things like FML or my life sucks, or whatever, I challenge you to change that up. Focus on what is good to you, and celebrate it each time. Watch what happens when you switch from Ugh, to YAY!