Tag: positive attitude

“Pura vida!” is as much an attitude, philosophy, or spirit as it is a slogan for Costa Rica basically meaning “Pure Life.”

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest sourness or difficulty in life, while lemonade is a sweet drink.   ~Wikipedia

This optimistic, can-do attitude is so typical of Costa Rica, making the Pura Vida slogan appropriate. Well, I’m pleased with my spirit of Pura Vida today when some things didn’t go as planned for me. 

LEMONADE FROM LAST NIGHT’S PROBLEM
Blurb had a 40% discount on photo books with a deadline of midnight last night. I tried repeatedly last night to upload my Nicaragua trip photo book and it never would work, possibly because too many other people were doing the same thing. I emailed their help center and said to myself it is not meant to be if it doesn’t work. Don’t fret about it! Went to bed! This morning I had an email response from Blurb with one link that got my book quickly uploaded and with an extension of the discount! By not getting angry at technology again (easy to do) I avoided stress and still got my book ordered. See the separate book post below.   

TODAY’S MAIN SCHEDULE LEMONADE
My doctor appointment for a week ago today got postponed until today at 1:00. I decided to go early for lunch in the city and took the 10:30 bus from Atenas. As the bus approached the city my phone rang and it was the doc’s assistant saying she needed to push my appointment up to 3:00 if I could make it. I groaned and said I was on the bus coming into town now. She paused, apologized and said “let’s make it at 2:00 then, but she could be running late and there is another appointment at 2:00.” I thanked her and hung up before sighing. But decided to make the best of it and maybe further explore Sabana Park which is like New York’s Central Park.

Museo de Arte Costarricense

After getting there and walking across the park and eating an early lunch, I still had two hours to kill and suddenly saw in the park Museo de Arte Costarricense or the Museum of Costa Rican Art. I spent more than an hour there and could have spent much more time in a beautiful museum in the park full of art by Ticos. That was so much better than getting angry or hurt because of the inconvenience of a delayed appointment! I had a 4 km walk to the doctor office (and walking helps the spirit too!). All is well with my heart and my foot/leg. When my foot swells again I will simply take 10 minutes to prop it up higher than my heart to relieve the weak veins in that leg, plus I will regularly massage the leg with a lotion which will strengthen them. She also wants me to stay on Baby Aspirin and Concor, a beta blocker, to help control my arrhythmia (plus the med helps me sleep better!). So that is it. A good report!

RETURN TRIP LEMONADE
Friday afternoon is the absolutely worst traffic of the week in San Jose and going west toward the beach (Atenas is west) is the worst, meaning the 45 minute bus ride becomes an 1:45 bus ride on Friday afternoon going back to Atenas. Again I could grumble, curse, be angry and make myself sick. But I chose to read from the Kindle App on my phone until a sun glare stopped that and then I had a needed nap while listening to the bus driver’s Spanish Music radio station (which is suppose to help me learn Spanish). So now I’m ending my busy day without stress or anger and in a happy mood! A very good day! And while I was typing this I listen to Spanish music from some fiesta downtown with beautiful marimba music now. You do know that all of my windows stay open all the time?