Recently, I was in Las Vegas speaking at a large business event. There, I met a young man who creates fashionable colostomy bags. This tattooed young man was shot. He’s in a wheelchair and has to use a colostomy bag. I believe he’s also a tattoo artist.
What was interesting about meeting him is that his energy and happiness are so abundant.
You might think that with all the challenges he has faced and still facing that he’d be down, out, and sad. But he’s not.
His eyes beamed with excitement as he saw me on stage. When I finished my talk, he was in line to greet me and share his story with me. I want to respect his privacy, so I’m intentionally not using his name.
Happiness Is Not About External Forces
Yes, if we stub our toe, it’s gonna hurt. If we drop our ice cream cone, we’re gonna be sad. However, we are fully able to self-determine how we react and how our attitude stays when things go wrong.
Are we always bitter? Always unforgiving? Always angry?
We have the ability to CHOOSE not to stay sad that our ice cream dropped. To not let the temporary pain of stubbing our toe ruin our entire day. We have NO control over what happens TO US. However, we can fully determine how we react to it.
We have NO control over what happens TO US. However, we can fully determine how we react to it.
Your Situation Is Not Unique
I’ve lived a pretty privileged life. Born to two loving parents. No childhood abuse. A loving wife of almost 30 years and two great children. However, I know many others who have been born into abusive homes. They grew up in poverty, they were raped – they had a really JACK’D UP LIFE.
Something went horribly wrong in their life. However, so many successful people, having had these terrible lives, have CHOSEN to move forward. They’ve chosen not to let what’s happened to them to define them. They’ve chosen to take the RAIN and make rainbows from it.
A quote I first heard from my friend Dora Maira on the Rise and Grind planner, published by Glenn Lundy.
My point is you’re not the only one in life who has had a terrible childhood or is currently going through a painful situation. But you can take control of your life and Live Life Fulfilled.
