Keeping a Good Attitude in Tuff Times

Some things are easier said than done.  Like smiling and not complaining when you’ve just been sacked. My attitude test came a few days ago. On the first day of our national entrepreneurship competition, my camera decided that we’ve outgrown our four years together and found a new owner.  How rude of him.

I was disappointed and hoped it was a mistake and although I didn’t show it much, it resulted in me stealing my own joy at the competition.  I even sat outside during a presentation, I was unhappy that I couldn’t record these lovely and prideful moments of the students.  I was also confused tracing back my steps wondering where Canon went.

You must understand my dismay – Like Big Red from Bring It On, I’ve had a camera permanently attached to my hand since the 9^th grade! At least 90% of My H.S yearbook photos were taken by moi.  Most importantly, there goes some memory I had or can record of my time in Ghana.  There goes any photo or video to share on this blog.  I wasn’t the only one who suffered from this loss. My coworker’s memory card with all her baby’s and other family photos were in the camera.

God is good.  Hours later I was back on the grind. A friend pitied me and offered their camera for my remaining time in Ghana.  God bless him!

On day two of the competition, I made a presentation on volunteerism and resisted the earlier temptation to mention Canon during the speech.  I regretted not sitting in on a presentation and did not want to have anymore regrets from being sour.  After all, life is too short.  So out I went to take photos with anyone who had a camera and congratulated the teams.  I wore off my resentment and finally used the camera that was loaned to me.  How ungrateful eh! I didn’t even appreciate this blessing in the basket.

I consoled my students and told them about keeping a good attitude despite not winning. I even shared my camera loss and showed them that while I was disappointed, I kept going. The truth is, I did.  I decided that I would write a blog entry about keeping a good attitude.

Perhaps it was the unbelievable traffic block on my way home that bored me to lawless thinking but my thinking got to stinking.  By the time I got home I was pissed! I felt I should have done more to get Canon back, I was too positive, I should have mentioned it in the speech and stink up the place. The high road is for happy go lucky positive losers.

Also in my mind, it wasn’t about the camera being stolen, it was that he was stolen in an environment I trusted.  I would have been okay had it been taken by a stranger on the street. I was hurt and asked God why would someone take from me when I’m giving my time freely. I even thought that during my speech that maybe one of those listening ears (any audience member) have Canon. lol – don’t you love the unoriginal name of my former cam? 🙂

I tried everything to get over it. ‘It’s not a moment in life, it’s a replaceable camera’.  I thought that ‘hey, people have lost more valuable things’ and ‘it could have been worst’.  The truth is, none of that self talk helped, my brain is too smart to be tricked. I felt hypocritical for all I said to my team earlier that day because I was not living up to it.

While recording a pathetic video rant, I had my aha moment.  I needed closure, I needed to know the why so that I can really get over it.  I realize in that moment that I am blessed and I will be blessed even more. I needed to feel the pain of my trust being violated.  There is no way that I can move forward and grow in every area of my life without things like this happening.  It’s in fact one of the least things that can happen to a successful person.  I barely got a sip of it in preparation.  I’m not preparing for ‘bad’, I’m instead now at a place where I put things in better perspective and I won’t take material losses harshly.

The following day I read Job and stumbled upon 1:21,

“…Naked (without possessions) came I [into this world] from my mother’s womb, and naked (without possessions) shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away…”

You have to know yourself in God’s plan. I started to understand the bigger role I play. The devil wants you to fuss over material things to distract you from your mission when God has better things in store for you. He’s waiting for you to end your rant to ask “ok, yuh done, ready to continue?”

Read this entry again if you need to as expressing what I experienced is better done with less words but more emotional expressions 🙂 Sure, Job experienced losses beyond the material and possibly you have as well.  If you are patient while finding closure, you will find it easier to keep a good attitude.  You shouldn’t ruin an experience or punish others for your loss or pain. My source of keeping a good attitude comes from being grateful and faithful of my future. It comes from knowing that your purpose is beyond a temporary pain.

How do you keep a good attitude?