Always look on the bright side of life!

At times when I get really stressed I tend to lose focus on the more positive things of life. I think this happens to most everyone. Well a few days ago, I was talking with my fun uncle, who also happens to be a counselor, and in conversation, I mentioned to him that a friend of mine had once labeled me as "malcontented." I am not very fond of this label because it's not really how I perceive myself and not the best way to be perceived by others. So here is the advice my uncle gave me.

He told me that there are 3 main aspects to altering your perception of your life. The first is Physiology. Maintaining good posture helps you to maintain a healthy outlook. He claims that studies have been done that indicate that it is physically impossible to hold onto a negative thought while sitting up straight. Try it right now, I dare you!

The second thing we can alter is our Focus. It's the whole mind over matter principle. We can choose to focus on a different aspect of a problem to maintain a positive outlook. For example, I went to this coffee shop today called the Daily Grind. I went up to the counter and asked the woman working if they were hiring. When she informed me that they were not, I said, "OK, well I will order a coffee anyway!" After ordering a delicious espresso blend of caramel, macadamia nuts, and mocha, the woman decided to take down my name and phone number in case any jobs become available in the future! I wasn't really trying to win her over or anything, I just wanted to make the most of the situation.

My favorite part of this discussion with my uncle, was when he told me that he used to be a "glass half-empty kinda guy" himself. So when he learned these principles, he trained himself to start looking at a potentially crappy situation and saying to himself, "What is great about this situation?" He then told me an anecdote. He said that one day he was leaving his office in the city to travel several hours to his farmhouse home. It was the middle of winter in a northern state. When he left his office, it was 4 degrees outside. Not only was it 4 degrees, but he was wearing thin clothing in order to be business-appropriate. He started driving home in an old crummy car that doesn't have a functioning heating system. And of course, on the way back, this diesel car broke down. He was still miles from home in the freezing cold.

So he asked himself, "What's great about this situation? Well, I've got an awesome wife back home that I can depend on to answer the phone! Also, the stars out here are amazing! I would never have been able to see these in the city with all the light pollution!" Apparently, he spent a good amount of time admiring God's creation and praying while waiting for his wife to come help him get home. I love how even though being positive didn't change his circumstances, he was able to have a good experience and a great story because he altered his focus.

The final way we can think more positively is by altering our Language. While expression is important, the words we choose to use affect our outlook as well as reflect how we are thinking. If our first reaction whenever our car breaks down or we're forced to do that job we hate (for me, it's vacuuming), or we don't get that thing we really really wanted is "This sucks," then we will continue to perpetuate the thought that "this sucks." But if we begin to hold back those types of statements and think about the positive possibilities this opportunity presents, we can begin to see the world from a fresh perspective.

So from here on out, I vow to view challenges in life not as obstacles, but as opportunities. Because when one thing just doesn't seem to be working out, it opens up the possibility for something new and good to take place.


Quote of the Day:
"Hey, I started out mopping the floor just like you guys. But now... now I'm washing lettuce. Soon I'll be on fries; then the grill. And pretty soon, I'll make assistant manager, and that's when the big bucks start rolling in. "
-Maurice, Coming to America