Train your mind to see the good in every situation

Sometimes life throws a lemon at you… Instead of getting hit straight in the face and get knocked out, catch that lemon, add salt and Tequila and continue having a great day!

…not literally but what I mean is that when things don’t turn out the way you thought they would or when situations don’t go as planned, don’t give up and be defeated. Think of how to possibly take the twist and turn it into your favor. I have been doing this for a while and almost every time I was able to find something good or at least a “lesson learned”. For instance, if you get rejected after a job interview, don’t be discouraged. Look at it this way: you gained practice and experience from that interview. And you can use that experience to be better in your next job interview. Or, you have dinner plans with a friend, you are really looking forward to it and now your friend cancels last minute... well great then, now you have time to go to the gym, or read a book or organize at home. No need to take this cancellation as a “rejection”, just re-schedule for another evening. Take it easy, things happen, plans get interrupted. No big deal, stay happy, my friend!

Your mind and body are very connected. What goes on in your mind can certainly affect your body. Simply put: negative thoughts or a negative mindset sends negative energy through your body which can negatively affect your immune system and literally make you sick (as in catching a cold easier, get stressed out, get headaches, tense shoulders…). A positive outlook on life sends positive energy through your body and can strengthen your ability to stay healthy and happy. You may not be able to change things thrown at you but you certainly can change the way you act to them. And this is exactly where you have the power! For example, if I miss my connected flight I cannot change this fact but I have two options to react to it:

1. I am devastated and get totally stressed out to the point where I get sweat stains on my shirt, yell at the flight attendants and lose my passport

or

2. I stay calm and positive, start re-arranging my schedule and patiently wait for my new flight while enjoying the extra time to chat with the flight attendant and receive a seat upgrade to business class, yay!

The choice is yours. Option #1 will get my heart rate up, my blood pressure high and it will release a chemical reaction in my body that throws me physically off balance. Option #2 will keep me physically and mentally balanced and therefore enable me to make rational decisions to where this change of plans has minimal effect on my future plans.

Other classic examples: Mondays and the weather! LOL Every Monday when I ask my co-workers “How are you?” there are at least a few that say “Nay, it’s Monday…” Implying that they would rather it be Saturday and they don’t have to even think about work. My response in my head: Yay, it’s Monday! I have a job, I earn money, I can pay my bills, I am independent, I have a purpose… I like Mondays! :-) And the weather… many people are happier when the sun shines. They complain when it’s rainy or gloomy, it drags them down. While sunshine is invigorating and energizing, I do also like gloomy and rainy days. It gives me time to get things done indoors or if it rains heavily I look at it as “free car wash, sweet!” For me, the weather does not change my mood or my feeling of happiness. Neither do Mondays or any days of the week. I am very content, satisfied and happy with myself, therefore outside circumstances don’t really affect me. If you are a “Monday-Nay offender”, I would like to encourage you to become a “Monday-Yay pretender”. At least “pretend” to be happy about being at work on a Monday and after a while you may actually truly be happy about Mondays. Remember, your thoughts are a powerful thing. What you think, you eventually become.

In the end, staying positive does not mean that things will always turn out okay. Rather, it is knowing that YOU will be okay no matter how things turn out.