Increase Joy by Changing Your Perspective
This is a 2-part post I stole from a group challenge I hosted a while back.
Part one I posted one day… part two I posted the follow day.
Part One: I need to vent…
Guys, let me be honest with you. I have a lot of "stuff" on my shoulders.
I woke up this morning with cat poop smeared all over the floor in my kids' room.
Then I find dog pee in our kitchen.
Financially: our tax bill is coming up next month and it's hefty.
Our basement has drywall pieces and dust ALL over and it's been sitting like that for weeks as life has been too busy to get to clean it.
My 3 youngest are crammed into one bedroom and we've been living like this for years. I really want my kids to have their own room already.
My garage is such a mess, the doors are always open because our door opener isn't installed yet. This means dust is constantly coming into our garage and leaving a mess everything.
I am driving a tiny, little car thee days. I inherited this vehicle from my dad and shortly after I did, my husband needed my truck at his work. Leaving me to squeeze my gang, their books, snacks and toys into this little thing. The plan is to sell it, but now we can't, at least not yet, (long story). This means we won't be buying a bigger vehicle for a while, which also means the kids and I are driving cramped for the time being.
There you go, I had to air my complaints for a change.
Part 2
Ha, Ha. I played a trick on you. Did you notice? Who noticed?
If you read my last post about venting you were probably noticing how out of character it was for me to say such a thing. Especially in a group on character development.
That post was difficult to write because my mind is not programmed to life from a negative perspective. But the reality is, this is a real snippet of a my life. Things aren’t always butteries and cupcakes. There are real situations and frustrations to overcome. That’s a part of life. To expect otherwise would be silly.
Experiencing a happy, fulfilling life isn’t about avoiding difficult situations, it’s knowing how to tackle them head on without them stealing your peace and joy.
Difficult situations occur, successful people have learned how properly view them. They know the right perspective to take.
To give you guys a comparison, let's look at the same season of life, but from a different perspective.
Poo on the floor... At least it's not carpet, the floor is easy to wipe clean. Also, my kids are old enough to clean up after their pet. So I'll let them clean it up. I am just thankful for obedient, understanding kids who clean it up cat poo without a fuss.
The dog peed in our kitchen... Oh dear, how strange. I'm so thankful that the dog is potty trained and that this isn't a regular occurance. We need to be more diligent in letting the dog out in the morning so this doesn't happen again.
Tax bill... As much as it sucks to have a tax bill, I am just thankful that we are in a position to take care of it.
Drywall mess....we will get to it when we get to it. I'm just thankful it's in an area of our home where it's out of sight and out of the way.
Kids sharing room... As much as I would like them to have their own rooms, I am thankful they have this opportunity to bond and create memories.
My garage mess... Sure, my garage doesn't stay as clean as I would like. But I am so thankful that my oldest is willing to help clean it.
Our vehicle dilemma... Sure, I am driving a small car that I'm unable to sell at the moment but this inconvenience comes with a huge benefit. Volkswagon recalled these cars and is buying them back full price. This will be a HUGELY financial blessing for our family. In the meantime, I'll be thankful to drive an 81mpg diesel vehicle.
Stark Differences
See the different perspectives?
Can you see how changing the way you view a situation will change how you feel about it? You can look at obstacles from a positive stance, or a negative one and your choice will determine whether you are happy or frustrated, thankful or discouraged. Perspective is everything.
There will always be people who complain about anything and everything. Don't be like them. They are stuck in a low quality of life. Negative attitudes cause people to sink like a weight in a pool. Whenever effort is put in to rise, negative attitudes overwhelm them and they fall.
Fact is...
Everyone could complain about something. There’s always something you need, somewhere to go, something not quite right, something you want, something bothering you, and the list goes on. But happy, successful people choose not to. They understand that comparing doesn’t change a thing. All it does it rob you of motivation, energy and joy.
Your perspective doesn’t change your situation, but it will change how you feel about it.
I once heard someone say, "things happen for you, not to you." That reminds me of a verse (Romans 8:28) "all things, work together for my good." I keep this perspective in my mind at all times. When I’m facing a troubling situation, I know that its temporary and subject to change. I know that on the others side the all obstacles is happiness, peace and joy. When you know this, (I mean really know this in the depth of your being), it makes facing difficulties much easier.
Decide not to be a complainer (like I was in the above post) 😀. Instead, see things from a better perspective and you'll enjoy life, just a bit more.
I talk more about perspective in my free teaching titled: Reduce Stress. Manage Overwhelm.
