Recently, I had the unpleasant experience of having my work put down by another person whom I have never met. Now normally this would not bother me to the extent that I'd want to bash my head against the wall, but this time the problem wasn't so much what I had done...but what I had failed to get done due to a glitch in timing.
Needless, to say, it put me in a bad mood for a few hours. Until I realzized that no matter how hard a person tries there are always going to be people out there willing and eager to step on your toes. To crush your spirit and wallow in your misery like a sponge soaking up spilled coffee. There are two means of dealing with this event....
1. Wallow in my anger and frustration and possibly send an email that I will come to regret as soon as I hit that send button - or shortly thereafter. This will garner me one result and one result only - the total amassed satisfaction of doing the na-na-na-nana before I come to my senses and realize I'm a grown woman, with a child, a husband, a business, a mini-noah's ark to take care of...and a goal in mind for my future. A future that I can blissfully kiss goodbye when I resort to childish behavor...as my reputation goes down the drain slowly but surely .... or
2. I could suck it up. Step back, assess the situation and then make a decision on what course of action do I take. A simple, polite email sent back that says, you're welcome to your opinions and I ask that you respect mine is all I'll allow myself. Does it burn off the anger, the doubts and self-guessing? No. Do I feel great afterward? Not likely. But to live to the fullest and to ensure that my time isn't spent on trivial things like hatred, anger, frustration, I need to force myself passed that negativity and focus instead on the bright things in my life.
Blessings come in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. Keeping positive is a much less daunting task when one looks at them. A child's laughter, a successful contract talk, rain in a fire ravaged area, a puppy's excited bark...when balanced against a person's anger they are powerful motivators to smile.
Just today I was watching our newest addition, playing with a stuffed snake that was about 10 times bigger than him. He was barking and racing about like crazy. Happy with just living and playing. Watching him made me smile...too often we focus on our negatives and forget the positives we have in our lives.
So, to help me remain positive in a world of 'bad', ugly truths, I know now that I have to remember to count the blessings that I have. To think beyond the black and white and look at the grey. To take the comments against my work with a grain of salt - consider them, think of where they've come from, and realize that in their own way, the person who has criticised me is only reaching out. They have offered me some advice on how to improve myself...and its up to me to balance their tone with the blessings they've given me. Doesn't mean its easy or fair, but its a challenge that I look forward to because as long as I know I've done my very best, there is no reason to look beyond that which I can use to my advantage to keep myself on track and positive.
Here's my challenge to you, what blessings have you recieved today? And how have you taken them...good, bad, negative, or have you kept a positive attitude and embraced the strength within yourself? Let me know...
Needless, to say, it put me in a bad mood for a few hours. Until I realzized that no matter how hard a person tries there are always going to be people out there willing and eager to step on your toes. To crush your spirit and wallow in your misery like a sponge soaking up spilled coffee. There are two means of dealing with this event....
1. Wallow in my anger and frustration and possibly send an email that I will come to regret as soon as I hit that send button - or shortly thereafter. This will garner me one result and one result only - the total amassed satisfaction of doing the na-na-na-nana before I come to my senses and realize I'm a grown woman, with a child, a husband, a business, a mini-noah's ark to take care of...and a goal in mind for my future. A future that I can blissfully kiss goodbye when I resort to childish behavor...as my reputation goes down the drain slowly but surely .... or
2. I could suck it up. Step back, assess the situation and then make a decision on what course of action do I take. A simple, polite email sent back that says, you're welcome to your opinions and I ask that you respect mine is all I'll allow myself. Does it burn off the anger, the doubts and self-guessing? No. Do I feel great afterward? Not likely. But to live to the fullest and to ensure that my time isn't spent on trivial things like hatred, anger, frustration, I need to force myself passed that negativity and focus instead on the bright things in my life.
Blessings come in many shapes, sizes, and flavors. Keeping positive is a much less daunting task when one looks at them. A child's laughter, a successful contract talk, rain in a fire ravaged area, a puppy's excited bark...when balanced against a person's anger they are powerful motivators to smile.
Just today I was watching our newest addition, playing with a stuffed snake that was about 10 times bigger than him. He was barking and racing about like crazy. Happy with just living and playing. Watching him made me smile...too often we focus on our negatives and forget the positives we have in our lives.
So, to help me remain positive in a world of 'bad', ugly truths, I know now that I have to remember to count the blessings that I have. To think beyond the black and white and look at the grey. To take the comments against my work with a grain of salt - consider them, think of where they've come from, and realize that in their own way, the person who has criticised me is only reaching out. They have offered me some advice on how to improve myself...and its up to me to balance their tone with the blessings they've given me. Doesn't mean its easy or fair, but its a challenge that I look forward to because as long as I know I've done my very best, there is no reason to look beyond that which I can use to my advantage to keep myself on track and positive.
Here's my challenge to you, what blessings have you recieved today? And how have you taken them...good, bad, negative, or have you kept a positive attitude and embraced the strength within yourself? Let me know...
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