How many times has one obstacle or another derailed your day and turned what started out as a good day into something less than perfect? If I had a dollar for every time this happened – I would probably be a millionaire. Sometimes, you can even plan out your day but then it just all falls apart and you are left with the same to do list you started with that morning.
Let’s face it – chaos is all around us. Just look at the stock market and you will witness this on a daily basis (or so it seems). Even though you may not be into investing in stocks – you should still pay attention to what is going on. It can affect the industry you work in, which in turn affects your company, which in turn – affects you.
While you may not be able to control everything that happens around you – you can control something…your attitude. How you choose to respond to obstacles placed in your path, either positively or negatively, will affect your attitude.
A few years ago, a gentleman came to our site to speak and provide some insight into this very subject. Steve Gilliland is a professor speaker and author. One of the books he had available was called “Enjoy the Ride”. In this book, he talks about the true joy if life is the trip itself so enjoy it while you can. One thing Steve talks about in his book and he spoke about to our company was “No one can ruin your day without your permission”. Chapter 4 of this book is on this exact subject. Steve says, “We have to put up with a little rain some days in order to see the rainbow.” How you react the obstacles in your life will ultimately determine the outcome of the situation.
Here is a short excerpt from the book:
Fumbling is part of football , failing is part of succeeding, and hurting is part of loving. Every situation in life is our perception of it, not the reality of it. The glass is half empty or half full, and sometimes our perception will be based on whether we’re pouring or drinking (Gilliland, Steve. (2005). Enjoy the Ride. Advantage Media Group).
So, next time you run into an obstacle or someone “gets under your skin”, remember – you have a choice. Find something positive in the situation and don’t allow negatively to creep into your life.
