A new attitude can make a change

As painful as situations in our lives may feel, they truly are just that, situations. As many great masters say, “this too shall pass.”

by Cary Bailen — 

Have you ever thought about how many times we find ourselves amid a crisis in our lives pondering, “How did I get here?” “Why is this happening to me?” Or the poor me, “I don’t deserve this!” With introspection, we can eventually find ourselves peaceful and thankful for that nasty situation that created new opportunities we never would have thought were possible.

Many people have begun to embrace this pattern in their lives and now see that everything can be different with a new attitude. What if these predicaments in our lives, which we categorize as chaotic or negative, actually were not done “to us” but “for us?”

As painful as situations in our lives may feel, they truly are just that, situations. As many great masters say, “this too shall pass.” It is a true skill to be able to experience one of these learning situations and yet have the wisdom to recognize not only that this too shall pass, but to take it a step beyond that and be thankful that this situation is occurring for me, not to me. Consider all the pain that has happened to us over the years, and you likely can see positive results that came out of those situations.

Our lives have the possibility to get bigger, better and grander than we could ever imagine when we adjust our perceptions. When we learn to trust the process, we do not remain stuck in victim mode for very long. Thinking like a victim blinds us from seeing the universe in complete alignment with our higher purpose.

When we become conscious in this moment and shift our attitude to one of trust and gratitude, life becomes enjoyable and filled with pleasant surprises. It is not necessarily easy; however, it truly does change one’s reality and makes life a lot more exciting. Do you accept the challenge to start seeing life as something that happens for you?

Cary Bailen, B.A., has taught health education for more than 10 years and is the founder of Kidz for Life, which offers custom-tailored nutrition training and health education programs for individuals, families, groups and schools. 602-751-0012, www.kidzforlife.com or [email protected].

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 25, Number 5, October/November 2006.