Making The Best Out Of Everything

In life, there are times when situations are less then we desire them to be. Unfortunately, it is also at these times where there is nothing that we can do to alter the reality of life. Therefore, we need to make the best of it. Often, this is as simple as altering our mindset.

I had such a situation this weekend. A few of use were invited to go on a boat to watch the space shuttle take off. There were 6 of us in all, 2 groups of three. We knew the owners of the boat moderately well and figured it would be a wonderful time. Sadly, we were mistaken.

From the outset, it was obvious this was going to be a strained interaction with 2 groups of three. The hosts and their friend proceeded to ignore the rest of us. Their was limited communication with no social skills shown. In short, we were completely ignored. It even got to the point where we asked ourselves, "why were we invited".

Bear in mind this was an overnight trip since the launch was due to go early the next morning. Around midnight, I determined that all was lost from the social standpoint. That is when I decided to make the best of it. We were going to be within a few miles of the launch of the space shuttle, something that few ever experience in life. I thought that if nothing else we could get some incredible pictured which would offset the other experiences.

Notice how I was "trapped" by the situation yet was determined to make the best of it. Since we were on a boat, there was nowhere for me to go. I was physically trapped by the circumstances. The only way I could alter what was transpiring was to focus my attention on producing some "gain" out of it.

This is where another monkey wrench was thrown into the mix. Due to mechanical issues, the shuttle launch was scrapped. There would be no pictures on this day. Witnessing something from a vantage point few get to see went out the window. Now I was 0 for 2 in my experiences.

Again I had to turn to a different outlook. The couple who owned (and ran) the boat were determined to remain on there until mid-afternoon. Thus we would not be returning for another 6 or 7 hours. I had the choice to sulk about the treatment I was receiving and the missed opportunity with the shuttle or to alter my mood. I chose the later.

How many people get to spend the day on a nice boat experiencing the water and sunshine. It is something that people spend thousands of dollars to do when they are visiting here on vacation. And this was costing me nothing. Therefore, I committed to enjoy the day as a tourist would. Swimming, sunbathing, and throwing the football around filled the remaining time on the boat.

In the end, I worked on my tan a bit more while enjoying a relaxing day at sea. It was not the trip I first envisioned when I received the invite during the week. However, it did turn out positive in spite of the setbacks. Would I put myself in the same position in the future? No I would not. I learned a valuable lesson with these people. Nevertheless, since I was in a situation I could not physically change, I made the best of it. Overall, it was a positive experience because of my mindset.

Try this the next time you find yourself "cornered" in life. You will be amazed how you can turn a negative situation into something positive. This will automatically raise up the quality of your life. Less negativity means more positivity.
Share and Enjoy!