Elf

Elf is one of my favorite movies. I love Will Ferrell, and I love the character he plays. His unabashed excitement for life and candy and smiling is just hilarious. Sometimes I wish I was more like that... I was born with a streak of melancholy in me and am sometimes more likely to look in deep thought than just be smiling for no reason.
One of my favorite lines in this movie is: "Smiling's my favorite!" It is a funny line but also has me thinking. Why isn't smiling MY favorite? Do I let my stress get to me and my melancholy streak take hold too often? I don't know. Some people I know are just naturally fun, smiley people. They have a hard day and just "shake it off" or "look on the bright side." I also think the fact I am a "feeler" in the Meyers Briggs personality test has something to do with this as well.
When most people meet me for the first time, a lot of times they think I am shy, quiet, and/or serious. Then, later they say to me, "WOW, you are so much sillier and more quirky than I thought at first!"
This bothers me. I want to be able to wear my personality on my sleeve and be who I am right away, and not just reveal my more fun aspects after I get to know someone. Yes, I can be a pretty serious person, but I like to also think my silly side is just as big, if not bigger. So I think from now on I will try to smile more and to look at the glass as half-full. Not to be blind about the world and it's bad things, but to choose to shake the bad off instead of holding onto it.