ATTITUDE
Everyday we are faced with both good and bad situations. When things are going well, we rarely worry about what can happen next. We take things in stride and continue to move forward. We tend to take things for granted and begin to lose appreciation for the good things we have in our lives.
When something bad happens, stress immediately follows along with the litany of “Why me?” and “What am I going to do now?” Bad things rarely happen one at a time. Instead, they are grouped in clusters that can try the sanity of the most patient saint. It can be difficult to see the positive in anything.
AWARENESS
If there is no solution to the problem then don’t waste time worrying about it. If there is a solution to the problem then don’t waste time worrying about it.” – Dalai Lama
It’s important to remember that no matter how bad a situation is, you will get through it. You can be stressed out and constantly worrying, or you can assess the situation and determine a plan of action. No matter how bad the situation is, there is something positive to be gained. Even in death, there is a positive, even though we may not see it right away.
Your outlook on life will play a large role in how you see adverse situations. If you are depressed, angry and upset, your outlook will be one of pessimism and woe. If you have a cheerful disposition, you outlook will be much different. We all have good and bad days, so it stands to reason that every person will fall into one of these two categories at some point.
ACTION
Positive thoughts lead to positive results.” ― Maria V. Snyder
While your state of mind will have a dramatic impact on how you perceive a situation, always trying to look for the positive can take away some of the negativity we experience in bad situations. By looking at each experience as a having a lesson to teach us, we can learn something about ourselves.
The lesson may not be apparent at first and the feelings of grief or loss that we feel can overshadow everything else. The key is to process each detail over time and take as much positive as we can find and apply it to our lives. The more we begin to do this, the easier it will be to see the positive in each situation.
It is normal to be upset at hurt when bad things happen. It is human nature and a part of the healing process. What we do after the initial hurt, however, is what separates us. Instead of allowing ourselves to be drawn into a downward spiral of depression and anger, we need to look at each situation and find something we can learn from.
Using each situation as a teaching tool gives a positive resource of life lessons we can pass on to others. It is our chance to grow and be there for others who may be experiencing many of the same things we are. When we can learn to do this, we become positive role models for others who may be able to benefit from our experiences.
