Sunset in Sedona, Arizona.
A Positive Spin
Well, it’s official, I am no longer glad I bought a van that had already been worked on.
When I purchased the van, because I had low confidence and a lack of experience on a project like this, I was actually glad that some of the work had already been done. I pictured this being a nice foundation to build upon.
But that allure faded fast.
Since then, I’ve removed, repaired or altered just about everything that had previously been built in the van. In fact, it seems that every project I begin requires some sort of task beforehand.
Which gets tiresome.
I’ll be honest, I can dwell on the negative with the best of them, but I’ve learned the importance of putting a positive spin on things. In fact, I believe this is a fundamental key to happiness. I could easily wallow on all the problems that the previous builder created for me, yet I know that nothing good comes from it. That only compounds the negative.
Instead, I force myself to give it a positive spin. In this case, I remind myself that by constantly repairing or removing the previous work, I’ve actually gotten quite good at fixing errors. And fixing is quite a skill to have!
When I’m confident fixing, any mistakes I make, or encounter along the way, feel more like minor nuisances instead of major problems. Suddenly, I’m thankful for all the repairs I’ve been forced to deal with because they've taught me new skills, helped build my confidence and made the ride much more enjoyable.
That feels better already.
"The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful."
-Dalai Lama
