This morning I got up and found a mess in our backyard. I don’t mean to make light of the serious nature of the wildfires that are burning here in California, but it is raining ash in our area and it is making a mess. We are far away from any danger, and none of our property is threatened, but we are still being affected by it. It is also effecting our air air quality.
I know this sounds a bit trivial, but it is frustrating to have all of this ash dropped on us because we just spent a lot of time cleaning up the outside of our home. We usually only have to do the kind of cleaning that we did last week two or three times a year and now we have to do it again, just one week later. It is a lot of work.
Actually, there are a lot of frustrating things going on right now. One of our cars broke down last night, all of the kids (7) need new shoes again, the ash is also getting inside the house, auto insurance is due and the internet is not working at my office. I realize that to some, these circumstances seem minor, but to me, they are a pain in the fanny.
Over And Over Again!
Life often seems like a series of repetitive exercises. As soon as I cut the lawn, it is time to cut it again. As soon as I pay a bill, it is time to pay it again. As soon as I fix a car, one of our other cars needs fixing. I am convinced that it will never end. There will always be projects that will need to be done over and over again.
Fortunately, we have a lot of power to make choices. I believe we can change just about anything that comes our way. We will always have to deal with consequences, whether they be good or bad. For example, if I did’t like mowing my lawn, so I got rid of most of my grass and replaced with artificial grass. That brought with it a whole new set of responsibilities.
I recognize that the frustrations I am facing are frustrations that I choose. They are part of my life. They will be with me for the rest of my life. It doesn’t make it any less challenging to understand this, it just makes it more bearable.
Being A Victor Or A Victim
My friend Eddy is a very successful individual. During his life, he has faced significant challenges. Suffice it to say, that they were the kind of challenges that can really test and try a person. They were not like the little things that I mentioned above.
I know many people who faced similar circumstances who were never able to rise above them. Eddy decided that he was going to be victorious over the circumstances that he faced. He chose not to be a victim. That meant that he could not sit around all day saying woe is me. He had to accept what happened to him and move on. He could not change what happened, and it certainly wasn’t his fault, so he decided to change the only thing that he could – what he was going to do about it.
I am sure it was tough for him, but no one who meets him today would ever know it. They would just see what I see – an awesome man. He is a great example to me about what we can do when we are dealt a bad hand. We don’t have to get uptight and wish for something more. We can step up and get it. That is what makes life so good!
Stepping Up
I could sit around and bemoan the fact that I am going to have to labor again in the hot desert air cleaning up the ash, or I can look at it as another opportunity to teach my children about the repetitive nature of work. I have two choices, I can buy a new car and all of the responsibilities that come with it, or I can teach myself and my children that everything can be fixed.
I choose not to wallow. I want to thrive. Thriving happens after we overcome discouraging circumstances. The only real way to grow beyond our current level is to stretch. The challenges that we face, including the repetitive nature of the work that we all must do, provide the stretching exercises for us. I am thankful for those choice experiences.
What is bugging you? What circumstances do you find yourself in that seem unfair? It is ok to be frustrated by those circumstances, but if you really want to grow than you must embrace them. What can you learn from your current challenges? That is one of the questions that will lift you to new heights. Are you ready to grow?
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