“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”—Zig Ziglar
I would paraphrase the above quote to read: “Your grattitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” I struggle with this, which is why I write so often about “grattitude”.
This has been one of those weeks when I have been struggling with where I am in life—Spiritually, Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Socially. I have been questioning, “Why am I here?” Not philosophically, but literally. I have been in my current teaching position for 10 years and have been living in Oregon as long. Still, I don’t feel “home”. This sense of emptiness is a barrier to “well-centered fitness”. So, how does one escape it?
Perhaps, we never really escape it as much as we deal with it. After all, I have been contending with it for the larger part of 10 years—more off and on than constantly. The only way I have found to deal with it is to face it with an (albeit sometimes forced) attitude of gratitude—“grattitude”.
Opportunity. I have learned to begin my day with a list of “opportunities”. I seek to look at challenges and barriers as opportunities for growth and to do something impactive. For example, I have the opportunity to inspire my students on a daily basis—I get to teach. I have the opportunity to pursue the Purpose in what confronts me—seeing these as a part of a much larger Universe. Viewing life as such, I am reminded of the kid who get a pile of manure for Christmas. Excited, he starts crawling though it gleefully. Asked why he is so happy, he responds: “With this much sh**, there has to be a pony in here somewhere!”
“Whatever your hand finds to do….” I try to approach each day with the attitude of “leave it all in this room.” Somedays are more exhausting than others, but it usually results in that “pleasant sense of fatigue” that we exercise physiologists refer to when talking about working out. I try to look at each day (albeit forcefully sometimes) as a stimulus for growth. I hate exercise, but I know how good I feel when I am done. Work can be the same. If I throw myself into it, the feeling at the end of the day is much more positive than if I let it be burdensome.
Don’t neglect the important relationships. My wife gets the worst of me when I am struggling. She certainly doesn’t deserve that. At times like this, I need our “15-minute check-in” more than ever. (We try to set aside a minimum of 15 minutes each day to share and just communicate. It is a very necessary pause in our day.) I have to be very careful, however, not to bring my negativity into this time. It is a great opportunity to “let the soul speak”. More specifically, to let go of self and let her talk and to speak with my heart rather than my brain—which may still be agitated from the day.
Seek to understand why. Rather than feeling trapped in my job or this state, I have the opportunity to consider why I am where I am. Spiritually, I am not the center of the Universe. There is “greater than self”. Frankly, it is not about me. I am far more likely to be in the circumstances I am for my wife, my kids, my students, and countless other above my own benefit. I admit that this is a hard pill to swallow without choking from time to time.
Consider other options. There is nothing wrong with consider the “grass on the other side”—in considering what other possibilities are out there. There is always the possibility that it might be time for a change. More often, such consideration will bring attention to what is being neglected on “this side”. Very often, the grass is greener on the other side because the grass on this side is being neglected.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!