Attitude IS Everything, Especially During Covid
Sep 20, 2021"The only disability in life is a bad attitude."
--Scott Hamilton
I wrote this email a couple weeks ago and just never sent it. Dennis and I both caught Covid and life was upended for a bit. We weren't too adversely affected, and we didn't want anyone to know because we didn't want to hear the negative surrounding the virus. We wanted to keep our attitudes positive.
There were events that I had been joyfully anticipating for months that I had to cancel. I reacted in my normal way with a great attitude...at first. I was finding the positive in all of it. But negative happenings just kept piling on. I stuffed the feelings of grief, disappointment, and the frustration of unfulfilled expectations.
I began to feel the familiar tightness of unresolved emotions in my neck. And I got quiet. Actually, I pouted. I can't believe I'm telling you all this. These letdowns weren't anyone's fault, so I couldn't blame anyone, either. Dang.
I didn't feel like writing, or expanding my business...let's just watch television. Dennis and I couldn't find any football and I certainly didn't want to watch the news. Let's tune in to the Paralympics!
We watched swimmers compete; some without arms, some without legs. One of the swimmers lost a leg while in the military and STILL wanted to serve the U.S. in some way. The 2020 Paralympics became her calling.
The announcers switched us over to the wheelchair basketball competition and I began to cry. I sat there and (Hallelujah!) sorted out my feelings. I was extremely embarrassed inside that I had been pouting over my situation. I have perfect health, am crazy fit, have all of my limbs, and am mightily blessed. I was whining over circumstances that I couldn't control because they didn't turn out the way I planned them.
These skillful wheelchair basketball players were playing their hearts out. Sometimes, they fell over onto their backs and HAD to have help getting upright again. They weren't laying on the couch in a mopey attitude--they were fighting to win the Paralympics! They were making lemonade out of the lemons that life had handed them. AND they didn't want anyone feeling sorry for them, either.
The American basketball team beat the Germans and it was close. Dennis and I celebrated their win with high fives! We were then switched back to the aquatic center for more swimming and the swimmers were blind. They swam like they could see! The only differences were that the swimmers stayed close to the lane markers and their coaches gently tapped their heads with cushioned poles when they needed to turn at each end of the pool.
I dried the second set of tears which had rinsed away all the negative feelings and attitude. Nothing has happened in my life that was even close to what those Paralympians had endured. I had been so busy with my own pity party, that I missed my chance to benefit from my circumstances. In order to capitalize on any experience, we have to be present for it. When we are pouting or have a bad attitude, we clearly aren't present in the situation or circumstance. We are too busy focusing on ourselves. That's certainly where I was and I didn't want to be there anymore. Dennis didn't want me to be there, either.
What could I do?
John Maxwell gives himself permission to feel bad for himself for a bit so I did that. I acknowledged my feelings, then let go of them and moved forward because a bad attitude wasn't going to make anything better. AND I couldn't change anything else but my attitude.
There is an Einstein quote that says there is opportunity in the midst of every crisis. Next, it was time to look for opportunity in this situation that was less than optimal. Being quarantined together, while not feeling so well, taught us a lot about each other. It's interesting, it brought us closer together. Oh yes, and we learned how to use Instacart and Door Dash!
Lastly, who could I call and encourage? Where could I have a positive impact on someone's life? I have found that lifting someone else up always helps me.
Thoughtfully typed,
Jan
There were events that I had been joyfully anticipating for months that I had to cancel. I reacted in my normal way with a great attitude...at first. I was finding the positive in all of it. But negative happenings just kept piling on. I stuffed the feelings of grief, disappointment, and the frustration of unfulfilled expectations.
I began to feel the familiar tightness of unresolved emotions in my neck. And I got quiet. Actually, I pouted. I can't believe I'm telling you all this. These letdowns weren't anyone's fault, so I couldn't blame anyone, either. Dang.
I didn't feel like writing, or expanding my business...let's just watch television. Dennis and I couldn't find any football and I certainly didn't want to watch the news. Let's tune in to the Paralympics!
We watched swimmers compete; some without arms, some without legs. One of the swimmers lost a leg while in the military and STILL wanted to serve the U.S. in some way. The 2020 Paralympics became her calling.
The announcers switched us over to the wheelchair basketball competition and I began to cry. I sat there and (Hallelujah!) sorted out my feelings. I was extremely embarrassed inside that I had been pouting over my situation. I have perfect health, am crazy fit, have all of my limbs, and am mightily blessed. I was whining over circumstances that I couldn't control because they didn't turn out the way I planned them.
These skillful wheelchair basketball players were playing their hearts out. Sometimes, they fell over onto their backs and HAD to have help getting upright again. They weren't laying on the couch in a mopey attitude--they were fighting to win the Paralympics! They were making lemonade out of the lemons that life had handed them. AND they didn't want anyone feeling sorry for them, either.
The American basketball team beat the Germans and it was close. Dennis and I celebrated their win with high fives! We were then switched back to the aquatic center for more swimming and the swimmers were blind. They swam like they could see! The only differences were that the swimmers stayed close to the lane markers and their coaches gently tapped their heads with cushioned poles when they needed to turn at each end of the pool.
I dried the second set of tears which had rinsed away all the negative feelings and attitude. Nothing has happened in my life that was even close to what those Paralympians had endured. I had been so busy with my own pity party, that I missed my chance to benefit from my circumstances. In order to capitalize on any experience, we have to be present for it. When we are pouting or have a bad attitude, we clearly aren't present in the situation or circumstance. We are too busy focusing on ourselves. That's certainly where I was and I didn't want to be there anymore. Dennis didn't want me to be there, either.
What could I do?
John Maxwell gives himself permission to feel bad for himself for a bit so I did that. I acknowledged my feelings, then let go of them and moved forward because a bad attitude wasn't going to make anything better. AND I couldn't change anything else but my attitude.
There is an Einstein quote that says there is opportunity in the midst of every crisis. Next, it was time to look for opportunity in this situation that was less than optimal. Being quarantined together, while not feeling so well, taught us a lot about each other. It's interesting, it brought us closer together. Oh yes, and we learned how to use Instacart and Door Dash!
Lastly, who could I call and encourage? Where could I have a positive impact on someone's life? I have found that lifting someone else up always helps me.
Thoughtfully typed,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
To subscribe, click here:
https://jan-mcdonald-llc.
Follow me on facebook @janmariemcdonald
www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Follow me on facebook @janmariemcdonald
www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/