I've always been in awe of the "Little Miss Sunshine"s of the world. Some people progress through life easily with great things happening regularly with life's road being a smooth and trouble free journey. I can understand how these people are able to be happy all the time, but there are also people who manage to have a smile for the world despite their life's ups and downs.
The thing I'm coming to realise is that crappy stuff happens regardless and how you react to it determines how your day pans out. I read a facebook friend's rant about an old lady pushing in front of her in a line and how she blasted her for being rude. I thought about how that panned out for both of them - both ended up upset and disgruntled, rather than choosing to be a little gracious and excusing the poor behaviour and both being okay about an incident soon forgotten.
As midlife descends on me in all its "glory" I find it is very easy to become the grumpy old lady who reacts with a snarl or a frown, it is much easier to be annoyed than it is to let it go through to the keeper (to use a cricketing term - not that I have even a remote interest in cricket!) I don't want to become the miserable cow that everyone avoids because I'm always complaining about something - and I think the way to avoid that is to "choose my attitude" and make a conscious decision to react in a positive way. I actually drive in to work in the morning and pray that I'll be positive and patient and kind because if God's on my side I have a better chance of achieving that outcome.
Often you get your own way if you are the miserable old cow who insists on browbeating someone into giving in to you, but how much nicer for everyone if you choose to react with a smile and maybe not get everything your own way, but come out of the interaction with a sense of it being a pleasant encounter instead of a battle. I'm learning this more as I give in on little things - like whether we have our family for Christmas or settle for Boxing Day, whether I get the last say in a conversation with a difficult person, when I deal with a disagreement with my husband and many other daily battles. This is certainly a work in progress for me but one I am determined to improve on with time (hopefully!)
So many I know are just the miserable cows and then like you said, wonder why people annoy them. If only they could see themselves through the mirror they would understand. You are right, it does take work and a conscious effort to be positive but the rewards are many. Thank you for a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteSo many I know are just the miserable cows and then like you said, wonder why people annoy them. If only they could see themselves through the mirror they would understand. You are right, it does take work and a conscious effort to be positive but the rewards are many. Thank you for a lovely post.
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