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Attitude Can Be a Lifeline

The feeling of despair may seem very appropriate and particular to your problem, but you should know that others have been there and have suffered similar or worse experiences. They have survived, and so will you.

At certain times in our lives we find ourselves in some horrible situations, and we feel helpless and hopeless. It should provide some immediate relief to consider that these situations are not causing our awful feelings, but it is what we think of these situations. Changing our thoughts to more pleasant events can have an enormous positive effect on how we are feeling. This has been stated by many great minds, over very many years.

"A person is not hurt so much by what happens, as by his opinion of what happens." - Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592)

By thinking about the good things in our life and in new endeavors, we can feel good, even when there appears to be no way up. Dwelling on the bad things when there is nothing we can do, will only make us feel worse and will do absolutely no good. Since it all depends on what is in our thoughts, we can control this.

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." - John Milton (1608-1674)

Study children. They fall and get up and try again and again, and then they walk. They are always ready to laugh, at the littlest things. They are usually more interested in something new rather than something that happened a while ago.

To counteract the feeling of hopelessness, list those assets which you do have. Perhaps some of these: family, youth, friends, health, job, home, nature, pets, garden, music, faith, books...

But the nearer the dawn the darker the night,
And by going wrong all things come right;
Things have been mended that were worse,
And the worse, the nearer they are to mend.
- Henry Longfellow (1807-1882)

After examining an upcoming difficult or seemingly disastrous situation, if there is something that can be done to improve on it, do it. If not, and the event cannot or should not be avoided, then accept the fact and start thinking about something else. Worrying about it will not only be a total waste of time but it will increase stress, and things will seem even worse than they really are.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly." Buddha (BC)

Copyright © Ken McIsaac. This article is an excerpt from "32 KEYS: A Collection of Ideas About Life" by Ken McIsaac. The book summarizes the most popular basic ideas on the subject of improving the quality of life. It is free to read online. Reprinted with permission.

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