I have moments when it feels like the whole weight of the world has landed on my shoulders.  Everything seems to be conspiring against me, both personally and professionally.

I’ve learned how to be more resilient in the face of obstacles.

First, I have to remember that it’s not about me.  Stuff happens, and rarely are people out there trying to make my life miserable.

There’s a lot of good and bad things happening out there, and even more which aren’t particularly good OR bad until I assign them meaning.  When I’m in a bad mood, I tend to interpret circumstances in a negative way.  But that’s not necessarily the objective reality.

Happiness, then, is more of a choice than anything else.  Which is why I love coaching – it focuses on how to make positive choices to affect yourself and the world around you.

But bad stuff does happen.  Our home heating system failed during the coldest week in January, and it was quite expensive to replace.

But despite the tremendous inconvenience, we chose to make a positive experience out of the whole thing.  Many people offered to loan us heaters, and we huddled in front of the fireplace for five days.

In the end, it gave us some great stories and we came through it just fine.

I’ve also learned to call more on my own faith.  When I’m able to glimpse the bigger picture, it helps me to keep the daily hassles in perspective.

And I’ve learned that the point of life isn’t to be convenient and comfortable.  It’s to do something that impacts other people, in large or small ways.

You might also find this interesting:

• Announcement: Staying Positive During Your Job Transition
• In the moment
• The internal battle is the hardest
• When is it important to have a strong reaction?
• Gimme a break!