A friend of mine once told me that if you are not in a crisis, you are either coming out of one or headed into the next one. This may sound as if she is a negative person, but she is actually one of the most positive people I know. What she meant was that life, even a balanced one, is full of positive and negative situations that are unavoidable. There will be peaks and valleys, but the key to coming out on top is all in what you choose to learn from the circumstances. You choose your attitude and how you respond to the outcomes.
Lows are opportunities to assess and learn about you. If the same situation continuously arises, is it possible that you are doing something to cause the problem or you place yourself in a circumstance where the problem is likely to occur again?
Life events can show established patterns of harmful behaviors. Sometimes you are able to recognize them on your own. If you feel as if you are spinning your wheels, contact a mentor, trusted friend, loved one, or therapist that shares your goals and values to help you sort out why these problems occur repeatedly. These individuals can help you determine a plan to keep you from making the same mistakes. Breaking old habits is hard and you will likely need someone to help keep you accountable.
Most of the time human nature causes people to react negatively to bad situations. Positive thinking is a finely honed skill developed over months and years of practice. Very few come by this gift naturally.
Highs are sometimes evidence of constructive behaviors you have cultivated over your lifetime. Analyze these situations to see if your actions influenced your good fortune. Use these instances as positive reinforcement for learning opportunities to continue to establish your healthy patterns.
As you continue your journey, contemplate the events you have encountered from time to time. It just may help you be a more thoughtful, grateful and positive person.
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