When I was eight I had a beautiful yellow budgie called Sammy Dodger. My little sis and I would close the windows in the lounge and let him out for a flutter. Except one day I forgot to close the window and Sammy escaped. We watched as Sammy flew around the garden a couple of times, chirping with glee, not quite believing his luck and then, wham, he was bombarded by pigeons.
It seems Sammy wasn’t such a dodger after all? He was grounded. I eventually found his body in a bush, he’d been pigeoned to death.
If you’re a happy person who enjoys living life – here’s some BREAKING NEWS – not everyone is like you. I think there might be a message in Sammy Dodger’s story? Something like, ‘Happy people, beware! All that vibrancy and colour? Standing out can be a risky strategy.’
I’ve coined the term ‘mood hoover’ to describe someone who’s stuck in a rut of negativity. I’m not talking about depression, more of an habitual low-level whinging. I call them ‘mood hoovers’ because they’re expert at sucking all the positivity out of you, leaving you feeling exhausted too!
So, what on earth are we supposed to do about mood hoovers? We can’t just give up on them, can we? Or ignore them? Or should we raise our effervescence to ‘irritating level’ in order to annoy them? And what if we’ve married one, or, heaven forbid, we are one?
Contrary to popular belief, the most unselfish thing you can do is live for yourself. The best way to inspire others to be happy and reach their full potential is to strive to be your best self. Live a happy and full life and you’ll lead the way for others to lead a happy and full life. Most will follow, a handful won’t.
Sammy Dodger had a sad ending because he was crowded out. We need more ‘Sammy Dodgers’. If you dare to be fully alive, you will create a ripple effect of positivity until, eventually, you crowd out the neg-heads. It’s brave, but it’s what 2%ers do.