The Blessing in Adversity

Guess Article By Michael Angier

“The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist, the opportunity in every difficulty.”

When I was about five years old, I lived with my family in Enterprise, Alabama for a few months while my father attended an advanced aviation course at nearby Fort Rucker.

What makes Enterprise, Alabama especially memorable is a strange monument they have in the middle of town. You can’t miss it. In fact, you have to drive around it because it sits right in the middle of the road. The monument is a statue to the boll weevil.

It’s probably the only monument in the world erected in honor of an insect. It certainly wasn’t done because of its aesthetic value– the boll weevil is a particularly ugly-looking creature. Surprisingly, it was erected because of the devastation the boll weevil caused to the cotton crops of the surrounding area.

Why did they honor this pest? Well, had it not been for the boll weevil, the local economy would have continued its unhealthy dependence on its one-crop, one-product economy.

Until then, everything depended entirely on cotton. When the boll weevil came, the farmers and all the other businesses that were reliant on the cotton farmers were forced to recognize the need to diversify.

In the long run, they saw that the boll weevil had, in fact, done them a favor by destroying their crops. No longer were their eggs all in one “cotton basket.” They started raising hogs, peanuts and other cash crops, and the entire area was better off for it.

I think it is to those southern farmers’ great credit that they were able to see this “adversity” for what it really was–a great blessing. Too often, we see difficult times as something to avoid–something only to endure. We usually don’t see the benefit until much later–if at all.

If we look back at the things in our lives that were the most trying, the most painful and frustrating, we have to admit that there was value in it. If you can’t see this, you’re either too close to the situation or are too upset to see clearly.

Our lives are far more enjoyable–certainly more instructional–if we view each thing that happens to us as just that–a happening.

Remember, it’s not what happens to us, but our response to what happens to us that makes the difference in the quality of our lives. I believe that everything that happens can be a lesson; every adversity can be a blessing. The following story illustrates this well.

Anthony Burgess discovered he had a brain tumor and only six months to live when he was 40 years old. He was distressed that he had nothing to leave his wife who was soon to become a widow. He decided to write– something he’d always wanted to do. The potential royalty from a book was the only thing he could think of doing to leave any kind of financial security for his family.

By the end of the first year and with no certainty that he would ever be published, he finished five novels. But he did not die.
His cancer went into remission and then disappeared altogether.

In his long and full life, Anthony Burgess went on to write more than 70 books. With out the death sentence from cancer, he might not have written anything.

Next time things don’t seem to be going the way you want, ask yourself what the positive aspect is. What’s the benefit in the adversity?

You’ll have greater enjoyment and learn more in the process.

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Michael Angier is founder and CIO
(Chief Inspiration Officer) of SuccessNet –a support network helping people and businesses grow and prosper. Get their free Resource Book ($27 value) of products, services and tools for running your business more effectively. And most of the over 150 resources are FREE to access and use. Click Here for Details.

Be Happy Do Something

In case you haven’t seen it, here’s an uplifting 3-minute video I think you’ll like.

A great hump day motivator, I hope you enjoy it.

Your Success is an Inside Job

Guest Article By Michael Angier

“An investment in yourself will pay dividends for the rest of your life. It won’t depreciate, it will appreciate. It will never be devalued or stolen. Clearly, your inner portfolio is the best investment you can make.”

We spend a good deal of time and money on the outside of our bodies. We pay for haircuts and styles, we buy cosmetics, lotions and colognes. We purchase expensive clothes.

We spend many minutes each day primping, combing, washing, feeding and, hopefully, exercising our bodies. Most of this activity is devoted to adorning or nurturing the outside of our bodies.

But what about the inside? Doesn’t it make sense to spend as much money and effort caring for our emotional, spiritual and mental side as we do on our exteriors? You might find it easy to agree with this notion, but I’ll bet you’d be hard-pressed to find many people who spend as much on inner work as outer work.

With the exception of a formal education, most people have no budget for the inside job of success.

What about you? What investment have you made in your attitude? How are you improving it? What new skills and knowledge have you acquired? What do you do to insure fresh, stimulating ideas for yourself and your company? What are you doing on a daily basis to be your best?

Everything you do to improve yourself will last the rest of your life. How many material acquisitions will last that long? Think of personal development not as putting some- thing on top of what you are, but rather developing more of who you already are.

Like the development of a picture from its negative, real self-development just exposes more of what already lies hidden.

Take a hard look at exactly what you’re doing and what you’re spending on developing your mental, spiritual and emotional stock. Are you reading books that feed your mind? Are you listening to tapes that educate, inspire and stimulate you? What are you doing to enhance your emotional well-being?

It doesn’t matter where you begin as long as you start. Pick an area you’d like to improve upon and have at it. It can be fun as well as rewarding.
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Michael Angier is founder and CIO
(Chief Inspiration Officer) of SuccessNet –a support network helping people and businesses grow and prosper. Get their free Resource Book ($27 value) of products, services and tools for running your business more effectively. And most of the over 150 resources are FREE to access and use. Click Here for Details.

Don’t Let Your Music Die In You - Inspirational Speech

This is truly inspirational speech by Randy Pausch who passed away July 25, 2008.  In his last lecture entitled “Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”, Pausch talks about his lessons learned and gives advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

Wisdom From A Chain Letter

A while back, I got this email chain letter.  Normally, I glance at them and delete but this one was different.  When I read the list I could actually feel the emotions associated with the various events or situations described and it made me feel good.

So good in fact that I thought this would be a great way to break the cycle of negative thinking.  I figured whenever I’m down or my negative self talk is taking over, I’d pick up this list and focus on the situation and feel the positive emotion.  You know what, it actually works for me so when your feeling a little blue why not give this a try.

Think about these one at a time BEFORE going on to the next one………IT DOES MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD.

1. Falling in love.

2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.

3. A hot shower.

4. No lines at the supermarket.

5. A special glance.

6. Getting mail.

7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.

8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.

9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.

10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

11. Finding the sweater you want is on sale for half price.

12. Chocolate milkshake (or vanilla!) (or strawberry).

13. A long distance phone call.

14. A bubble bath.

15. Giggling.

16. A good conversation.

17. The beach.

18. Finding a $20 bill in your coat from last winter.

19. Laughing at yourself.

20. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.

21. Running through sprinklers.

22. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.

23. Having someone tell you that you look goodl.

24. Laughing at an inside joke.

25. Friends.

26. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.

27. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.

28. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).

29. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.

30. Playing with a new puppy.

31. Having someone play with your hair.

32. Sweet dreams.

33. Hot chocolate.

34. Road trips with friends.

35. Swinging on swings.

36. Wrapping presents under the Christmas tree while eating cookies
and drinking your favorite hot toddy.

37. Song lyrics printed inside your new CD so you can sing along
without feeling stupid.

38. Going to a really good concert.

39. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.

40. Winning a really competitive game.

41. Making chocolate chip cookies.

42. Having your friends send you home-made cookies.

43. Spending time with close friends.

44. Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends.

45. Holding hands with someone you care about.

46. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or
bad) never change.

47. Riding the best roller coasters over and over.

48. Watching the expression on someone’s face as they open a much
desired present from you.

49. Watching the sunrise.

50. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another
beautiful day.