By Jeff Whitaker
Is it just me, or do you get the feeling this weather of ours just can’t make up its mind? This past Saturday was beautiful. The sun was shining, and the temperatures flirted with the low 60s for much of our region. That was until about 4 o’clock in the afternoon when suddenly the wind kicked in, and the temperature dropped like a lead balloon. But for just a few hours, the 60s felt really nice and turned my thoughts toward summer. The funny thing is, a couple of weeks ago my family and I vacationed down south. Daytime highs reached the mid-80s — so nice. But at night, it dipped into the 60s, and my thought at the time was “Boy, it feels kind of chilly tonight.” So, how can the 60s this past weekend feel warm, while in Florida, the 60s felt chilly? It’s all in your perspective.
Here is my point. How we see things based on our current situation, our location or circumstance has a huge impact on how we view things. It’s all about mindset. If you and I get up in the morning and anticipate doom and gloom based on the circumstances around us, the situation we find ourselves in or, for that matter, even the weather, we set ourselves up for negativity at every turn. On the contrary, if we don’t allow ourselves to have our attitudes or perspectives impacted by our circumstances, we set a whole different tone for the day.
So, what do we need to do to feed the positive and starve the negative influences in our lives? It starts with pursuing a growth mindset instead of a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset looks at the situation we find in front of us, buying into the negativity and accompanying mentality that it brings with it. Whereas having a growth mindset looks at every situation and scenario as an opportunity to learn, grow and look for the positive.
It seems around every corner we are presented with plenty of situations and circumstances that we can see as either obstacles or opportunities. It’s all about our perspective.
Psychologist Carol S. Dweck said, “When there’s a setback, someone with a fixed mindset will start thinking, ‘Maybe I don’t have what it takes?’ They may get defensive and give up. A hallmark of a successful person is that they persist in the face of obstacles, and often, these obstacles are blessings in disguise.”
This is not to say that we have to view every situation with rose-colored glasses. But there is something to be said for looking at life with an attitude of finding a way to “grow through” something rather than just “go through” it.
Chuck Swindoll, a well-known pastor, famously penned a poem on attitude. If you get a chance, look it up. I have it framed in my office. Swindoll ends his poem with this: “We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”
So, the next time you become overwhelmed by your situation or the circumstances that surround you, check your perspective. Consider a mindset or attitude adjustment. You might be pleasantly surprised at the difference it will make in your day and the days to come.
And just think, in a few short months, we’ll once again feel the ocean breeze, take in the smells of pizza and popcorn on the boardwalk, and bask in the 80-degree days and cool 60-degree nights.
Jeff Whitaker is a veteran broadcaster here in South Jersey. He now draws on his experience and training to work with companies and individuals to develop effective storytelling, communications and leadership skills. Find free resources and ways Jeff can work with you at jeffwhitaker.com
