When bad things happen, you have two
choices. You can get upset, or not. Which feels better?
How many times have you sunk to the bottom of
despair, thinking things couldn’t possibly get worse? Now,
think about how many incredibly wonderful times have you had in your
life since then.
We are
hardwired to react. Emotions are very difficult to control. But getting our panties in a wad over something doesn’t make the
situation better. It usually just makes it worse.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote this about Napoléon
Bonaparte, It was a whimsical economy of the same kind which dictated his
practice … in regard to his burdensome correspondence. He directed Bourrienne
to leave all letters unopened for three weeks, and then observed with
satisfaction how large a part of the correspondence had thus disposed of itself
and no longer required an answer.
Does #13 work every time? No,
sometimes I’m so overcome with anger, anxiety, fear, I loose sight. Sometimes
it’s just too much. Does it help? Yes. Sometimes it is downright life saving.
Someone once said to me, Can you honestly get un-upset
about stuff just by choosing not to? I’d give anything if all I had to do
was choose not to obsess. What’s your secret?
I think my secret is two-fold. About 30 years
ago I survived the greatest heartache of my life. I didn’t think I would live
past it, I wasn’t sure I wanted to live past it. But I did, and I think that
made me somewhat bulletproof. That point in time is what I always look back
to, to remind myself of what I can withstand, how strong I am.
Second, I keep myself so busy I can’t dwell on
the things that cause me anxiety, fear and pain. I may not always be able to
control my emotions, but I can offset them.
So when bad things happen, you have
two choices. You can choose to get upset, or not.
Which feels better?
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