Learning to Appreciate

I’m pretty sure most of you have been asked if you are more pessimistic or more optimistic? Are you a glass-half-full kind of person or a glass-half-empty? Most of us like to believe that we are optimistic, making the most out of bad situations and predicaments that life throws our way. I know I try my best to. But life, well life can be a b*tch sometimes, can’t it? At least that’s the pessimistic way of looking at it, in my opinion. As each day passes by, and I learn more and more, I try to take on a new perspective to literally everything, even the lows that life brings. Life is nothing more than an educator, constantly teaching us through every single experience we have; the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly. Most of us, myself included love to celebrate, appreciate, and be full of joy when life is up but when life is down, we complain, look for excuses, become bitter and difficult to be around, and depending on how bad the situation, may even lose or question our faith. Any of this sound familiar? Maybe this has been you or someone you know. No worries, it happens to all of us. We just have to keep in mind that nothing lasts forever and that this too, shall pass.

What I have learned is that when things are not going our way, we need to take a step back, take a breath (because it’s not the end of the world), and analyze what is going on to us and around us. The very last thing needed is to act irrationally based on our current, high-strung emotions, which will nine times out of ten, make things much worse. It’s when we choose to step back and evaluate everything that’s going on, that we can see things more clearly for what they are, and not what our mind and emotions are making it out to be. Take the opportunity to ask yourself, what is it that I am supposed to be learning from this? As I stated early, life is always simply an educator. We love to remember the fun times full of smiles and laughter, but it is the most trying times that made you dig deep within yourself to see what you are made of that bring about the most life-changing lessons. I’m sure most of you remember very well the teacher or professor back in high school or college whose class you had the most fun in, the coolest with, and the had easiest assignments; but who was the educator that you probably didn’t like all the time because the work was hard, they didn’t cut you any slack, accept any of your excuses, but yet some of their methods or phrases still stick with you even today? If someone came to mind, that’s exactly my point.

I know how optimistic I’m probably sounding right now and I’m sure some of you are probably thinking 'if only it were that easy'. Trust me when I say that I know how difficult it is and can be, especially when you are having to reprogram the way you think and evaluate situations. But I am here to tell you that the more you stick with something, the easier it will become, and sooner or later, you will have changed the way you perceive the events that present themselves in your life. These trials you are facing now will one day be your testimony. You will get to share your story with others and inspire them with how you came out on top, better than before. Someone once told me that life’s lower lows are preparing you for higher highs. Look within yourself and find whatever it is that truly drives you. When times get hard, that’s the time that you need to go harder, not to give up. So, I ask you to keep your head up and know that the best is yet to come. Everything is aligning for you whether you see it yet or not and you will succeed.

Do not stress because what is meant for you is already on its way to you. May every one of you move forward in your life with peace and grace. 😊