"Perspective is Key" How I Came to This Realization
Do you ever have one of those days where nothing seems to go
right? Yesterday was one of those days for me. From the second I woke up with muscle
stiffness and tension, I was determined not to take a “negative approach” and
make the most of the day. I left the house to be caught in construction on my
way to drop-off the baby at daycare, I tried to not let it get to me and gave
myself a pat on the back for getting out the door early. On the way home, I got
caught in the same construction but for a longer amount of time. At this point,
I was starting to get annoyed.
Once my son and I finally got home from taking the baby to daycare,
I started on the laundry that has been building determined to put my energy into something productive. We ate breakfast, cleaned
up, then left for our next destination. Luckily we just had to go down the
street so no traffic was involved.
Right
when I was starting to feel like we would make it on time, two cars get in an
accident and I caught in the traffic aftermath of it all. Glancing at the time,
I knew I had to make other arrangements. I called my husband who works in the
next town over to see if he would have any better shot at getting to her before
me. At the time, he thought he could so I attempted to call the daycare and the
phone lines were down, I tried to use the parent app, I had no data… Annoyed I
called my husband to see if he can send the message out only to be informed that he
too was caught behind yet another accident and at almost a complete standstill.
I was finally able to get rerouted and make it to the daycare before my husband
was able to and we finally got the baby picked up almost an hour late.
We get into the car after sitting in traffic for what seemed
like forever, and I realized that I really had to use the restroom. The kids
and I pulled up to Target and used the restroom there. Because we were trapped in the car for so
long, we decided to stretch our legs and walk around for a bit. (Plus what 25
year old women wouldn’t take the chance to walk around Target? 😅) We found these
drawer organizers for Ziploc bags, and a dispenser for aluminum foil and plastic
wrap. Mind you, I am obsessed with organization systems and I have been wanting
these bad boys for a while. At $5 a piece I could not pass these up, especially
because anything like them anywhere else seemed to be far more than that.
We left Target and took the “normal” route home as the other
one was still blocked by the accident. The entire drive home, I was getting really
excited about getting those drawers organized, even with the 10 consecutive
minutes of being at a complete stop due to construction. It didn’t matter that the kids were over the
car ride and bickering, I was just happy that I finally had something that I
have been waiting to possess for a very long time.
Because of the construction, my husband got home at the same
time I did. Walking in the door, I went straight into the kitchen and got those
drawers organized. The excitement quickly faded when the baby decided she
needed my attention but holding her wasn’t doing it for her. Sensing my
overwhelm, my husband grabbed the baby from me and was setting up her snack at
the same time that I was showing him my organization. With his primary focus
being on the baby, I did not get the reaction that I had hoped for. Then when I
went to switch the laundry, I saw that my washer had leaked all over the laundry
room.
I started getting really in my head about how the one thing
that I was excited about today went overlooked, and how I spent my entire day
catching up on laundry just for the washer to break down again. My husband
sensed this and started doing what I always tell him to do when he is feeling
this way. Counter all the negatives with positives.
He informed me that if I hadn’t got caught in traffic during drop-off, I wouldn’t
have felt that feeling of accomplishment for getting out the door early. If I
hadn’t got caught on my way back, there was a possibility of our son falling asleep
before we needed to be at our next destination. If I didn’t get caught in the
accident, I wouldn’t have realized just how great the daycare staff are, nor
would I have ended up at Target. If I wasn’t stuck in traffic on the way home
from pick-up the two of us would have arrived at different times. The baby was not throwing a tantrum because she wanted to add
stress, she wanted love, attention, and affection – but the kind that she gets
from mom is special. If the washer didn’t break down, rather than spending the
evening relaxing, I probably would be folding laundry.
It reminded me that bad things happen to everyone, but when
they happen to me, it is my perspective of them that will shape how I move forward.
Do I let the thoughts feed my insecurities and break me down and give them power?
Or do I find the positive in a bad situation and allow myself to grow from it?
In the end, I realized that while the day didn't go as
planned, it still had its small victories and moments of joy. It's all about
perspective and how we choose to see the events that unfold in our lives.
Instead of dwelling on the negatives, I decided to focus on the positives and
the lessons learned. This mindset shift not only helped me feel better but also
gave me the strength to tackle whatever comes next with a more positive
outlook.
So, I challenge each of you to find the silver lining in
your own daily struggles. The next time you face an unexpected hurdle, pause
and ask yourself what positive outcome might arise from it. By choosing to
focus on the positives and the lessons learned, we can all cultivate a more
resilient and optimistic mindset, ready to tackle whatever comes next with
confidence and grace.
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