Outlook Vs. Reality

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” -Theodore Roosevelt

I’ve always believed that our outlook on the occurrences in life, both good and bad, can determine our future in significant ways. If something bad happens and we learn from it, we can decrease the chances of it happening again. Many have argued otherwise, stating that certain things like death, natural disasters, etc are out of our hands. And while that is true, there is some science behind having a positive outlook. When you approach a problem thinking, “This sucks, but it already happened. So how can I soften the blow?” you’re more likely to think of a solution than in a state of constant anger or disappointment. To specify, I don’t mean to say don’t get upset or angry. That’s natural and shouldn’t be suppressed. But it doesn’t hurt to couple that anger with the thought process of possible solutions. You may not be able to smile right then and there. But you can certainly pave the road to that smile. As Charles R. Swindoll believed, life is 10% action and 90% reaction.