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Recently my husband and I were awaiting news about something that was pretty unlikely, but would have made us very happy.  Throughout the waiting process, we both kept saying, “Now, let’s not get our hopes up.”  So we checked each other’s excitement at the possibility of good news, and just kept waiting.

Then it hit me – why not get our hopes up?  During the 24 hours of uncertainty, what is the downside of celebrating as if the answer is yes?  Don’t we do that when we buy lottery tickets?  When the Lotto is $80 million and you buy your ticket, don’t you start to spend the money in your brain?

Okay, after the reduction for the lump sum payment and taxes, that works out to $32 million, so we put ten million into a retirement fund and spend two million on a house, five million goes to family, five million goes to charity, and the other ten million goes to investments, indulgences and living our new life…but what if we put eight million into the retirement fund and bought a second home, or what if instead…?

So why is there a difference between your unlikely lottery winnings and any other unlikely good outcome?  Enjoy it while it’s still possible.  We did and it was really fun.

Then, when we got the news this morning that we didn’t get what we wanted, it didn’t sting any more because we’d had so much fun with it during the waiting period.  In fact, we have that to look back on as a good time.

So go ahead…get your hopes up.  As long as you don’t know the winning numbers yet – they’re yours!

4 Responses

  1. I’m already spending the £80 million from tonight’s lottery win! There’s the dream house, the Range Rover, the Charitable causes…

  2. Well said Valerie & thank you for your uplifting words and inspiration. Hear hear for the high road to happiness, every day!

  3. Recent events in my life caused me to relate to this paragraph…with one difference (I don’t have a husband) switch to wife…something thought to be unlikely, but will make us happy.
    “Recently my husband and I were awaiting news about something that was pretty unlikely, but would have made us very happy. Throughout the waiting process, we both kept saying, “Now, let’s not get our hopes up.” So we checked each other’s excitement at the possibility of good news, and just kept waiting.”

  4. Thank you for liking my short film script Glass. Thanks also for making me happy reading all the different ways you make life positive for yourself and attempt to do so for others too. I really appreciate your efforts personally and on behalf of my fellow humans.