Fight or flight
Journey through life’s great unknowns
It has been quite a while since I wrote last time. Life has gotten busy, to say the least. On the one hand, I open the news and find the most negative of things on it. On the other hand, life has given me great joys of late
However, many people are struggling with is choosing whether to buy groceries, or pay the rent. Yes, I never though I’d see this in my life time, but it is happening. We have costs skyrocketing, and incomes remaining flat, or people are losing jobs.
It is a great source of tension for most folks. Even though I’m gainfully employed, I still am stressed about this. Honestly speaking though, I am counting my blessings that I can afford to live.
Blessings brings gratitude
One of the best methods I’ve been taught of reducing stress is to look at those who are not as blessed as you are. It hasn’t always helped, but at very least it helped me shift my thoughts.
Blessings are those things that you have that you can truly cherish. Trouble is most of us never slow down to see those blessings.
Here is an example, I was passing a busy intersection the other day. I have ran into a mother/daughter duo and she is out there pan handling to afford groceries. I just came from the grocery store with a car trunk full of them.
If that’s not a blessing, I don’t know what it is. Thankfully we saw her on our way in and were able to provide some money and groceries for her. The look on her face, tells you how much trouble she was in.
Count your blessings, others may not have it. It could be as simple as a bed to be able to sleep in. Tell me you don’t feel the amazing feeling of gratitude for it when you consider that you have the basic necessities of life. Tell me you don’t feel sadness when you see that mother/daughter duo.
Blessings can be opportunities
I have been great friends with the person who was once my mentor in an internship position. To this date, this friend brought me the best freelance jobs I’ve ever done.
I will say I don’t appreciate him a lot. However, whenever I feel like I have to cover a lot of costs that I didn’t expect, somehow he has a paying project on the go that he needs help with in terms of programming.
We have a good friendly and professional relationship that I almost ruined once. Let’s just say I was young and stupid, and he was more mature. I am grateful for that, because I do value our friendship. I also appreciate all the guidance he has given me over the years.
Notice how this great friend (a blessing) has been great opportunity for me as well? Always be grateful for your blessings.
So why did I title this fight or flight?
Mainly because fear is the opposite of gratitude. Gratitude gives you the strength of character to stay and fight for what is good. Gratitude is obtained by remembering your blessings.
Gratitude allows you to gain the confidence that no matter what negative is happening to you, you will come through. You will prevail if you remain grateful and steadfast. You are your greatest strength, and you are worth it.
On the other hand, forgetting your blessings leads to despair. Despair feeds on itself until it drags you down into a place where you have no confidence to do anything. When challenges come your way, you run away. You “flight” out of there faster than if you held onto what’s good.
So what will it be? Will you fight, or will you “flight”
