What Goes Around Comes around

"God is light. In Him there is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act." Psalm 37:5

I am sure all of you are familiar with the expression, "What goes around comes around?" We seem to use this more in reference to negative situations. I hear people say a lot, "Karma is going to get them!" For example, when someone does something bad, bad will come to them. Maybe someone is treating others with disrespect, and we feel in the end, they will also get disrespected. The basic concept of this phrase is that the consequences of your actions will have to be dealt with eventually, the law of cause and effect. But this does not have to imply negative situations.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Those that do good will have good unto them?" It is the same concept as "What goes around comes around." If you do good, good will come to you. Another bonus, if you do good, you feel good! Did you know there are also benefits of doing good? Doing good decreases stress and is known to improve mood. Being kind to others and doing good for others can increase your self-esteem and it can make you more empathetic. Doing good promotes mental health. It also leads to happiness. Did you know that doing good also can increase your life-expectancy?

Doing good helps to combat negativity. When you do good for someone and they have a big smile on their face, how can you not feel good and positive? Helping others can easily give you a fresh perspective and it keeps you from fixating on your own problems. I have found that doing good deeds for others, makes what I felt were "problems" often subside.

I am going to give you an example. You all know that in our family we have had a lot of trials. Kalli was born 350 miles away and hospitalized in the NICU for nearly 6 months. I could have fixated on this daily. But instead, I chose to look at the positive aspects. I got to see my sisters weekly. I got to attend events of my nephews that I would have never been able to had we not been traveling to the cities weekly. I got closer to my sister, my brother-in-law, and nephews. Mark and I were able to meet incredible people in the NICU and each of them had their own unique journey. We met couples whose babies were worse off than Kalli. We met couples who lost their babies. Their fight was our fight, their journey our journey. Both Mark and I did our best to remain positive and that is what got us through. I never once dwelled on how sick Kalli was or what her future may hold. I focused on one day at a time.

During Kalli's time in the NICU. We also tried to do things for others. We would bring treats for the staff occasionally. I would leave a note for a fellow NICU mom. We prayed for other families and their babies. We exchanged contact information with a few and kept in touch and shared tips with one another. We met other couples with similar issues through Caringbridge. We formed bonds/friendships with strangers that we never met in person. The entire experience could have broken us, but instead it strengthened us. I truly believe we made it through that trying time because of God and because of our positivity. Yes, there were tears shed during those months. But often, the tears were tears of rejoicing and pure gratitude.

It is so easy to get sucked into bad things and negativity. But is also possible to focus good and positivity. Train your mind to see the good in situations. Start giving to others. The giving does not need to be monetarily. Give someone a hug. Help do someone’s yardwork. Carry out someone's groceries for them. Bake cookies for your neighbor. Make a meal for a family in need. Listen as someone tells you about their day. Play a game with a child. Write a thank you letter to someone. Write a love not to your significant other. The list of possibilities is endless.

Next time you hear someone say, "What goes around comes around," think about what they are referencing. Don't get sucked into negativity. Change your mindset and think about the good in every situation. Try your best to focus on positive aspects and don't allow negativity to draw you in. Do good for others and watch yourself reap the rewards. Your life and how you choose to live it is up to you. Why wouldn't you want to give goodness and positivity a try? I promise, it will be worth it! "Being positive isn't pretending that everything is good--it's seeing the good in everything."