I never saw my great grandfather angry, even when he had tremendous cause to be so. As a child, I wasn’t sure what to make of this. I wondered why he wasn’t reacting to what was around him. As an adult, I now respect and esteem this great and honorable man, because I understand the strength of his character and discipline of his response to challenging situations.
We all, through the course of our lives, deal regularly with good, bad and indifferent people. We all face frustrations, irritations and disappointment. What my great grandfather modeled was admirable. Instead of reacting to a challenge based on emotion, he considered his own response and focused on facing the situation with integrity and poise. In dealing first with himself, he was better able to deal with others.
When we face adversities, small or great, our first choice is to determine whether we will view them as irritations or embrace them as growth opportunities. If we use challenges to our advantage, regardless of the initial intent, we can grow from every situation.
I endeavor to respond to challenges as my great grandfather did, to say, “This challenge was intended for me. How can I grow from this and move beyond it?”
Viktor Frankl, a concentration camp survivor, observed that those who survived the nightmare of concentration camps were those who focused on a purpose, those who were determined to fulfill a mission in life. Those who lost hope did not survive. He said, “Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
The attitude with which we approach adversity will set our course. Where will your course lead you?
re-S.H.A.P.E. your viewpoint.™
Clifford Bailey