"BE THERE"
This week’s post is dedicated to a good friend and ex-co-worker, Eric Bertch, and is about “being there” in all aspects of our lives. What I mean by that is to make a conscious choice to change our perspective in the wide variety of situations we find ourselves in throughout the day, which is something I began practicing during my time working with Eric. When one of us was off our game, the other one was always there to help improve the other’s perspective and attitude. We don’t always have someone to pick us up though, which is why this is a skill that takes practice.
In life, all of us are going to be required to do a lot of things in which we don’t want to and most people’s common reaction is to have a bad attitude about it. We say things like, I really don’t want to go to this meeting, I really didn’t want to get up for work, I don’t feel like training today, I just can’t wait until I don’t have to do this anymore, or this is a waste of my time. We look past whatever it is we aren’t looking forward to doing, onto something more enjoyable in our future. Everyone does this, it is sometime’s all we can do to make it through long days. My challenge for you though is to change your perspective and really “BE THERE” during all aspects in your life. If you are going to be at work, in class, or attending that meeting anyway, why not try to benefit from it. Instead of thinking about how much you don’t want to be there, try to learn something, improve on a relationship, better yourself, or positively impact someone else’s life with your presence!
Once you begin thinking about what you can gain or how you can benefit others in
all situations in your life, I promise you this; your life will most definitely improve. Instead of thinking “this is a waste of my time,” think, “what can I take away from this?” Be somebody that people want to be around because you make them and everyone else around you better and happier. The image to the right is of Martin Rooney, someone who prides himself as always elevating the energy and positivity in a room. Don’t’ be somebody that people think of as a complainer or a negative person. We all know someone like that and they can really bring down a group.
Now some of you might be trying to justify your negative thinking by saying things like, “I already knew everything they were talking about in the meeting” or “That person is less experienced than me so I’m not going to listen to what they have to say.” Instead of justifying your thoughts, drop your ego and realize that you can always learn something from everybody you encounter and every experience you have. If you don’t believe that, it is probably because you aren’t trying to. Try to make the meeting or whatever you are doing better by having a positive attitude or sharing your knowledge. Great people always make others around them better and failing to do so is a waste of your talents.
Lastly, I want to talk about really taking in and enjoying the here and now because it is often the little things we take for granted that we miss the most when they're gone. People constantly say things like I can’t wait until I graduate, quit this job, move, or whatever else it is for you. You have high schoolers who can't wait until college, college students who can't wait to graduate and make some money, and working adults who wish they were back in school when life was easier. They look onto the future because they believe the grass is always greener on the other side. These kinds of people usually struggle to find happiness because they fail to realize the green grass they are standing on right now. Instead they reminisce about the past and look onto the future. One of my favorite quotes from the Dalai Lama is, “Man is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.” So next time you find yourself having negative thoughts, stop and try to change your perspective. I challenge you to better those around you and make a conscious choice everyday to be a happier person, to simply “BE THERE.”
