Friday Quote and How to Remain Optimistic
Nothing can stop the person with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the person with the wrong mental attitude. - Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States.
I have an uncle who has quite a bit going on: He’s getting married next week, selling his home, and moving in with his new wife and her 13 year old daughter. In addition, he’s a musician - writer, producer, performer, teacher - who is trying to manage the ever-changing music business in order to continue working his passion. This is a lot for a 51 year-old to take on (especially since it’s his FIRST marriage!)
As an outsider looking in, I think, “How wonderful that he has finally found a woman he wants to spend his days with!” It’s easy for me to see and accept the changes that accompany it. It’s not always so easy when you’re the one “sitting in it”. He sees all that is “going wrong” and becomes overwhelmed. He’s forgetting about the final outcome – a life shared with a woman he loves. In a time that could be quite exciting and wonderful, he sounds completely miserable. It truly breaks my heart.
Though hard to do, keeping a positive mental attitude, or remaining optimistic, can be done. I’m reminded of my wedding day just over 4 years ago. All was going well until I noticed the minutes passing and my hair stylist had yet to arrive. Long story short, he was a no show. (Note: I had been seeing him for about 8 years as my stylist!) The way I saw it I had two choices: Get really angry or create a new hair plan. I took a step back and thought about what I needed for this day to be successful. I needed 1) the groom and 2) my uncle who would be marrying us. Both of them were on location, so hair stylist or not, the day would be wonderful.
I actually found some humor in it, as I sat with my mother and sister and discussed our options. On a Sunday in Sturbridge, MA, my options were limited. The ladies at the front desk of the inn were extremely helpful in booking me an appointment at none other than the JC Penney hair salon down the road. They graciously took us in, treated us like queens, and did a great job with our hair. To top it off, I ended up saving about $300!
Sure, life, situations and events can get stressful or become overwhelming, but only if we let them. It’s so easy to get “stuck” in the misery of a situation and forget that it’s temporary. It will eventually pass if you choose to manage your reactions appropriately. Holding on creates unnecessary tension and even illness.
Whether you’re dealing with the stress of marriage, exercise and weight loss, a job you can’t stand or a relationship that has run it’s course, rather than get overwhelmed pause for a moment and ask yourself a few questions, as I did on my wedding day:
- What do I want the outcome to be?
- What steps can I take to ensure that outcome?
- What resources do I need to help me get there?
Take a deep breath, assess the situation and take appropriate action. Yelling, screaming, and staying miserable are not appropriate actions. For more on how to remain optimistic, read this post on Entrepreneur.com from Brian Tracy: How to Remain Optimistic at All Times. Don’t take my word that remaining optimistic works. You’ve got to try it for yourself!
Have you endured situations in your life because you remained optimistic? What steps did you take to get the outcome you wanted?
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