What bothers you and why?

Do we want to be remembered as the one who overcame obstacles and lived their best life?

Or do we want to be remembered as the one who carries their pain as a badge of honor? The one who continuously reminds themselves and others of their pain and problems. It’s exhausting!

That’s a no brainer for me. However, it’s a conscious choice I’m aware of. Sometimes we stay in our perceived state of victimhood because it’s comfortable for us. It’s what we know even if it’s not good for us.

However, we always have the power to change our experience. The more we focus on all that is wrong, the more we stay stuck in that state. If, instead, we choose to focus on a solution, one finds its way to us. Like attracts like.

Working with students, I see it a lot. A learned state of helplessness. Maybe caregivers jump when they are stressed. For whatever reason, they have learned that they can’t do it, that somebody needs to fix something for them.

My job is to empower them by action, words and examples. With empathy, stating “you’ve got this” is an empowering mindset shift in perspective. We also empower students to celebrate their personal victories and not to compare themselves with others. We teach them how to use their words when they do need help.  Those are self esteem boosters right there!

So what bothers me? A woe-is-me mindset. I can recognize it in myself so it is really easy to observe it in others. Instead, I love to be reminded of all that I am capable of and I love to see it in others.  I love to be surrounded by people who are solution-oriented with a Can Do attitude.

Like….Just do it.

Yup, sometimes it’s harder than it sounds! But I’ve lived long enough to know that I’ve never mastered or moved on from anything without that shift in perspective or mindset. I’m happier and feel more empowered because of it.