It has been a while. Mainly because I kept finding myself becoming negative about most things and being disgruntle about others. Over the last couple weeks I've been wondering why. Could it be due to not being able to relieve stress? Was it because I didn't care for my job?
Well, I am still asking that question and probably always will. Without any answers, all that was needed was a new attitude. I spent the weekend looking at a coffee mug that I've had for years. On it is the script, "Attitude is Everything". At one time in my life I really believed and lived by that. In the past few years, I've gotten away from it.
When you spend your time looking at things as opportunities rather then interruptions and inconviences, your outlook becomes more positive. As an example, when I finished the Triceratops triathlon last Wednesday, I was down on myself because of my run results. But after I realized that there aren't that many people my age that can say they participate in events like this and I plan to participate in other events, my times didn't seem to matter as much. With more training time before the next event, all that is needed is the commitment to go out and sweat. Even when a morning hour long run is scheduled and just as it is time to head out the door and the youngest one wakes with a need for you, it is not that the run is lost; it is the time to spend alone with one of the kids that is gained. Yes, that may not bode well for the next triathlon, but the quality time spent with the kids is better then shaving a couple seconds off a split.
There are people that layout a schedule and must live to it or their world will come crumbling down around them. These people are perfectionist. No one, not even themselves can live up the standards they have set forth. The people around them become unhappy, resentful and stressed themselves. Things don't have to be perfect. If there is an empty soda can on the counter when your in-laws stop by, are you going to get a lecture about house keeping? No, but to the other extreme, if they have to climb over all the clutter that is throughout the house, you just might. But they are much less judgmental if they see a family that is happy to be with each other. If those that around you are perfectionist and you are not, then don't envy them or try to live up to their standards. They aren't happy trying to live up them either. Live up to your own standards and remember that time can't stand still and no matter what we do, life goes on.
We are not going to keep everything in its place all the time. When we enter an event, we are not always going to set a PR. There are many more people out there that cannot even get out of bed, walk, even feed themselves that we are truly bless to be of mind body and spirit that we can get up, get moving and breath the fresh air.
Why do we still get down on ourselves? Who knows, but it we take a "Who cares" attitude and enjoy what is here and now, we will be much happier and much less stressed.
Let's go take on the day and remember "Attitude IS Everything"
