So there I am, standing on the beach in my blouse, looking at the gray, thick rain clouds. The wind blows my hair into my mouth and I begin to shiver.
That was not the picture I had in mind for our trip to the beach.
The taxi that brought us here is already gone and the way back home would take about 1 hour and 40 minutes on foot.
My old self would probably have started to grumble and whine.
But I had already DECIDED that this day would be great!
So we bought a bottle of beer each at the next beach bar (with that, walking already seems much easier 😉 and started our way back to the city. Actually, I didn’t feel like walking such a long way at all, but what other choice did we have?
Hitchhiking! (We were in Cyprus, a safe island, and it’s common there)
I had never done that before, but now was the time! Thumb out and the third car stopped and took us in! We got to know a super nice Bulgarian and even exchanged phone numbers.
It was a great day and I was able to overcome my fears and reservations about asking for a ride. It was a liberating feeling and I was really proud of myself!
In the future, I will no longer be afraid of such a thing!
And here is the lesson:
A situation in itself is neither GOOD nor BAD. It’s
MY REACTION to it.
Accordingly, my reaction to a situation determines whether it’s ultimately HARMFUL or even HELPFUL to me.
This principle can be applied to countless situations:
Your boss accuses you. Your partner snaps at you. Your friend talks incessantly and doesn’t let you get a word in edgewise. You have a cold right NOW and have to cancel. People either always misunderstand you or not at all.
HOW will you react to that? Will YOUR REACTION ultimately harm or benefit you?
Small bonus: You increase your chances of SUCCESS a lot if you set out from the start to have a great evening or to stay calm. An all-rounder mindset is: “It’s going to work out anyway” 😉