Optimistic Mindset

A lecturer was giving a lesson to the students, and everyone was listening attentively. A muffled voice came out of the silent classroom: "How much do you think this glass of water weighs?" With that, the lecturer held up a glass of water. Some people said two hundred grams, while others said three hundred grams. "Yes, it is only two hundred grams. So, how long can you hold this glass of water in your hands?" The lecturer asked again. Many people laughed: It's only two hundred grams, so what will happen if you hold it for a long time?

　　The lecturer did not laugh, he continued: "Hold it for a minute, you must feel no problem; hold it for an hour, your hands may feel sore; hold it for a day? What about a week? Then you may have to call an ambulance." Everyone laughed again, but this time it was with approval.

　　The lecturer continued, "In fact, the weight of this glass of water is very light, but the longer you hold it, the heavier you feel. It is like putting pressure on your body, whether the pressure is heavy or not, and over time you will feel heavier and heavier and unable to bear it. What we must do is to put down this glass of water, take a break and then pick it up again, only then we can hold it for longer. Therefore, the pressure we bear should be put down at the right time, take a good rest, and then pick it up again, so that we can bear it for a longer time."

　　After that, the classroom applauded.

　　Insight: As society progresses, people follow and become busier and busier. Then, the burden becomes heavier and heavier. It is good to put down the burden at the right time, take it easy, and then pick it up again when you have adjusted well.

　　Back to Contents>>>

　　Bedtime Story 21

State of mind

　　When he was a bachelor, he lived with some friends in a small house of only seven or eight square meters. Although life was very inconvenient, he was always cheerful all day long.

　　Someone asked him, "So many people are crammed together, it's difficult to even turn around, what's so funny about it?"

　　He said, "Isn't it a pleasure for friends to be together, to exchange ideas and feelings at any time?"

　　After some time, the friends one by one started their families and moved out one after another. Only one person was left in the house, but he was still very happy every day.

　　The man asked again, "What do you have to be happy about when you are all alone?"

　　"I have a lot of books! A book is a teacher. How can one not be happy to be with so many teachers and to be able to ask them for advice at all times?"

　　A few years later, Socrates also became a family and moved into a big building. This building had seven floors, and his home was on the lowest floor. The ground floor was the worst environment in the building, and the top was always throwing sewage, dead rats, broken shoes, smelly socks, and miscellaneous filth below. When the man saw that he still looked like he was enjoying himself, he asked curiously, "Are you happy even when you live in such a room?"

　　"Yes! You don't know how many wonderful things there are about living on the first floor! For example, you don't have to climb high stairs to get in; it's easy to carry things, you don't have to spend a lot of effort; it's easy for friends to visit, and you don't have to knock on the door one floor after another to ask ...... What I'm especially happy about is that I can raise flowers and plant vegetables in the open space, the list of pleasures is endless! " Socrates could not help but say.

　　After a year, Socrates gave a room on the first floor to a friend who had an old man with hemiplegia, and it was very difficult for him to go up and down the stairs. He moved to the seventh floor, the highest floor of the building, but he was still happy and cheerful every day.

　　The man asked derisively, "Sir, aren't there a lot of advantages to living on the seventh floor?"

　　Socrates said, "Yes, there are many advantages. Just to name a few: going up and down the stairs, every day is a good opportunity for exercise and is good for health; the light is good so that reading and writing do not hurt the eyes; there is no one to interfere overhead, and it is very quiet day and night."

　　Later, the man met a student of Socrates and asked, "Your teacher is always so happy and cheerful, but I feel that the environment he is in each time is not so good ah."

　　Said, "What determines one's mood is not in the environment, but in the state of mind."

　　Insight: In the workplace, a calm and optimistic state of mind is the most important. Any dissatisfaction with the objective environment and grumbling is not helpful, only facing the work with a positive spirit, is the best way to solve the problem.