'Tis The Season

'Tis the season to be jolly??

Yeah, right!

I have a couple of stories to share with you about the right and the wrong way to act during this or any season.

I was heading home from work this week and got on the freeway as I always do. The merge lane is rather short, like me. It doesn’t give you a lot of time to get yourself into the flow of traffic before you are forced to exit again.

So I put on my turn indicator, looked over my shoulder, checked my mirrors, and proceeded to merge into the flow.

And out of nowhere, some idiot in a pickup truck comes BARRELING up the lane, flooring the gas peddle, and SCREAMS up to me and forces me back into the other lane. I nearly missed the merge because of this disgraceful human being.

I was boiling with rage. And then I let it go. I had to or I would have had a stroke right there on the freeway.

I accepted the reality that some people are really just awful and some get pleasure in doing stuff like that. Somehow it elevates them. Makes them bigger than the rest of us. Probably the kind of guy who would shove a grandma out of the supermarket line just so he could get to his football game on time.

My second story is a more pleasant one and reassures me that there are still good, kind people out there, too.

I was at Costco this week as well and another customer and I made our way to the milk fridge at the exact same time.

Neither of us noticed that there was seemingly only ONE box of fat free milk left. I technically got there a few paces ahead of him, so by the popular definitions of life, I was “entitled” to take the milk first.

But I didn’t. I offered it to the other man.

He was astonished by my thoughtful act.

“No, really! Please. I want you to take it. It’s not that important to me,” I said.

“Thanks SO much,” he said. “Milk was the main reason I came by the store today. Thank you.”

It felt nice to do this. It filled my heart with light and warmth. I remembered the jerk from earlier in the week who had nearly driven me into a ditch and wondered how anyone could feel good as their heart filled with darkness and nastiness.

The punch line is that just a little ways back in the giant fridge was a new, uncovered pallet of more fat free milk.

So we both ended up getting our milk and we both were able to walk away with an example of the humanity we can extend our fellow citizens.

These stories also are perfect illustrations of the choice we make every day to radiate positive or negative vibrations. That speed demon on the freeway was no doubt spreading his miserable experiences that day with the world. It wanted to make everyone’s day as awful as his own.

Me? I preferred my simple, magical moment in the dairy aisle. It’s moments like these that truly remind us of the joy and good cheer we should be spreading.

This, and every season.

Half Full or Half Empty? Depends on Your Point of View!

Researchers are once again confirming what many of us have known for a very long time. And that is, the way you react to something determines the outcome of any given event or action. And the way you react to something stems from the type of personality that you have.

This is common sense.

It explains why some people react to traffic snarls with clenched teeth and white knuckles and profanity laced tirades and others sit back and learn something new from a book on tape or catch up by calling back clients during the delay.

It also explains why some people are crashing and burning on all the doom and gloom out there, especially with regards to the economy.

Some people are clearly panicking and others are keeping their heads on tightly. Why?

Because there are those who realize they are in control of their lives and those who have yet to realize this. There are people who thrive under pressure and see opportunities everywhere and those who see everything through a lens of dread and lack of opportunities.

The beauty of all of this? I have come to learn beyond ANY doubt that YOU and I are completely capable of changing this. Even though it was not the conclusion of this particular study, we all have the power to change the way we see things.

We CAN choose to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. But the key word here is CHOOSE. It’s up to us.

Is it easy? Nope. I got unfortunately grouchy this morning when three calls were coming in at the same time and then the doorbell rang and then the dog barked and the baby screamed and the checkbook was nowhere to be found. But within minutes, we can change our focus…take a deep breath…and continue on.

Life can be a constant bike ride UP hill or a nice, coasting experience downhill. Most of the time we peddle up hill unnecessarily.

Keep this in mind as you tackle this Monday!

Motivational Monday: The Next 100 Feet Ahead

There was a beautiful fog this morning that reminded me of San Francisco days. It blanketed the neighborhood with a magical mist that clung almost to the sidewalk.

As I was driving the kids to school, the trees lining the streets appeared only a couple at a time.

This reminded me of how life and all its adversities and blessings unfolds before each and every one of us.

How many of us don't spend countless hours and days of our lives worrying about what lies ahead? We often can't see results or goals because they are just around the bend.

Life really is like those tree lined streets shrouded in fog this morning.

We have to have faith that the next pair of trees and the rest of the road are actually there in front of us, even if we can't see them.

Life unfolds this way. Just remember that this is OK.

You don't need to see miles ahead necessarily. All you need to know is that the road usually won't disappear a couple of miles ahead. There won't be an ominous black hole.

The road will take you where you eventually are intended to be. Trust in that truth.

The fog is beginning to lift even as we speak. Go make the most of this precious day!