Adversity Brings Opportunity

My challenge for you today is whatever happens, choose to be optimistic. 

"But how can I be optimistic about waking up late, stubbing my toes or running out of milk?? Urrghhh!"

"Well there's more than one way to slow me down, make me pay attention and look where I'm stepping.  I must need some self-love today.   I'm sure glad I have this opportunity."  That's taking it little too far, but there's always a choice.  You can tell where I'm going with this right?

Let's say that my kids are busy making something, I'm busy getting dinner ready....if something spills on the floor, now I have a new focus, I have to clean it up. 

 I choose to now say to myself..."Well there's more than one way to get me to clean the floors, this is just one of them."
This power statement somehow cools my fire, and put a bit of humor as I see things from a different perspective. And I can also see how things could be a whole lot worse. 

 Try it, it feels strange and out of place for a while, but it's like magic, it changes my attitude instantly and almost makes me giggle. 

Remember this poem?

"Birdie Birdie in the sky

dropped some white stuff in my eye.

That's O.k.

I wont Cry.

Cause I'm sure glad that cows don't fly!"

I am sure there are many different versions of this poem, that's the one I grew up with and teach my children. Because of the powerful example of optimism that no matter what, it could be worse and aren't we grateful it's not? 

  

Another story is one I personally experienced, a cashier woman at a convenience store was having trouble with the register not opening.  I expecting to see her curse and growl at the troubled register, she surprised me and instead said "I LOVE YOU."  Wow, I had never thought of that before.  I had never heard anyone say I love you to a frustrating situation in order to get a better response until now.  The register opened up right afterward and we were easily able to complete our transaction. I thanked her and left the store, but her example stuck with me.

Why not use our words in kindness instead of anger? 

I now practice it my self.  

Have you ever seen the experiment done with two jars of cooked rice?  One jar is spoken too in words of kindness, love or gratitude, the second one is spoken to in words of foolishness, hate, and ingratitude and other crude sentences for a period of time and the rice is affected in very different ways.  Here is a link to see the results.  

Experimenting with rice

Is there power in thought and word? 

 ABSO-POSA-LUTLEY!! (absolutely positively)   

If there are obstacles in your way of not getting to the places you need to be or the results you are desiring; think about what you're focus is, what's the attitude being per-traded? Or maybe question what am I being redirected or saved from?

 A lot of the times when I am struggling to get onto the freeway and I am late to where I need to go, I will pass by an accident and realize that I could have been involved with that had I been on the road even 5 seconds earlier.  And I see that my angles were watching over me. I'm grateful that I wasn't the person in the middle of that accident.  

I find myself saying a prayer for those are dealing with the stress and details of the accident. I also focusing on my gratitude of not having to deal with that stress or costs associated with it.  

What if we do get an accident? How can we be optimistic about that?

Well who did you meet because of the accident? Were you able to make new connections? How are you with your own test of life values?  How did you deal with that situation? Were you positive, or forgiving? Would you choose to be angry and bitter if your good life and health were to change? Did you fall apart or did you choose to look at the next step?  

 "Ok, this has happened.  I'm supposed to learn something 
from this, so now, what happens from here?"

Experiences in life Have taught me that for everything there 

is a season and a reason.

"I am optimistic by choice."

Yes I know it's another quote but they really do bring sanity into my life and I want to share them with you.  

To recap: Make a choice to be "better" not "bitter" to be optimistic about experiences and to look for the "reason" and endure through the "season." Send vibes of LOVE in stead of frustration.

"There's a reason for the season baby. And sometimes it's cold outside."   

"Adversity Brings opportunity."

By Stephanie Goodman SuperMom of 3 and 2 bonus sons