Have you
ever wondered why it seems so easy to lose motivation, get discouraged, become
downtrodden and unhappy? At first glance it might appear that life is mostly
negative, full of unpleasantness and grief; what with all the suffering and
unhappiness in the world, the idea is easy to believe. But it’s not true. You
might wonder though, why does the negative seem to get more attention? I would
say it’s force of habit. Really! Think about your day-to-day life. Does your
car break down every day? Does your cat run away all the time? Does your
girlfriend break up with you repeatedly and often? Well, unless something is
seriously wrong in your life, none of those things happen with enough frequency
to truly be a daily event. The emotional impact, however, is significant, and
that is why you dwell on it.
This morning, for no reason at all (actually there is a mechanical
reason), my car decided to not start. What a pain in the ass, right? My
daughter had to get to school, I had to get to work, and we both didn’t have
time for this kind of inconvenience. Fortunately, we only live seven
blocks from school, so I walked her there and we were only about five minutes
late. I’m pretty mechanical minded and I figured my car battery was dying, so I
got a jump start and the car was off to the races, sort of speak. Actually I
was right off to the auto repair shop. While driving, I realized that even
though this whole scenario was a royal pain, it wasn’t the norm in my
life. That’s why it was so bothersome,
because it was so outside the norm. Now, my car requires maintenance and repair
on occasion, some planned, some obviously not so planned. So I just have to
deal with it. For the majority of the time, I get in, turn the key and drive
away. So why don’t I get a giant euphoric feeling of joy every day the care works
properly? Well, it’s because I expect the car to function properly.
You see, events in our lives that are unexpected, emotionally jarring,
either positively or negatively make an impression. They have meaning because
they wake us up from our malaise, that fog we hypnotize ourselves with. In a
way that dazed phase of distraction is a good thing. It allows us to follow a
routine we need to cope. But, and it’s a big but, that distraction can also
make it harder to deal with the negative when it comes along, give it false
power and significance. Don’t let that happen.
Remind yourself that for every
time your car breaks down, or your dog runs away, there are days, weeks, even
months in a row where good, positive things happen, because you planned for
them, make the right decisions and stuck with it. Life’s curving and winding
roads are a test. Don’t let them distract you and become negative. Each bump in
the road is a chance to regain focus. Remember, staying focused will help
direct you on your life’s mission. So, keep your eyes on the road!
Thanks for reading. Comments and questions are welcome.
