“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”  ~Rachel Carson

Dear Universe,

Okay, so I’m a bit of a geek, as we have established time and time again on this blog.

So it’s no surprise that when I learned a new word I just love, that I would be excited enough to write about it.

Drum roll, please.  This is a good one.  I mean I think (I hope!) everyone else is going to like this word as much as me, if you don’t already know it.  (And if you do already know it, please pretend this is the first time you are hearing about it so you can become just as enthusiastic as me!)  Ready?

It’s pronoia.

pronoia: the opposite of paranoia; the belief that the universe is conspiring in your favor; philosophy that the world is secretly set up to benefit people.

I came across this term yesterday when I was watching a TED talk and someone mentioned it.  I then had to find out more!

It turns out there are websites dedicated to spreading pronoia, books written on the topic and even the actress Susan Sarandon has publicly announced she’s a believer in this phenomenon.

That’s neither here nor there, but I thought it was an interesting tidbit. 🙂

The reason I love this idea so much is because I already try to believe this on a daily basis.  You, Universe, have a way of delivering even the most unbelievable requests and blessings.  It’s nice to have a word to put to this feeling.

So many people feel that when something is going wrong the whole world is conspiring against them.  They feel like nothing is working in their favor and they are cursed.

I understand that feeling and have been in that space before.  More than once!  It was never pretty.  The problem is when you stay in that place for too long, more negative things are likely to occur since negativity begets negativity.

Bad things do happen.  But sometimes, with some perspective, you are able to look back and see how something sad led to something positive or how something horrible led to a miracle and it was all for the best, after all.  It’s a beautiful and humbling moment when you feel that the Universe wasn’t working against you, but was actually working for you all along.

I keep this in mind now when someone leaves my life or an opportunity I was hoping for doesn’t pan out.  I choose to believe it’s the Universe’s way of making room for something better to arrive.

And usually time proves it right.  I see why rejection is just the Universe offering protection and pointing me in a new and better direction.

All you need is just a little patience and a whole lot of pronoia.

Try it the next time you find yourself ready to curse the world.

With Gratitude,

A