Don’t Overlook the Blessings in Your Current Situation
There is always something hidden below the surface
What do you think of me going back to the night shift?
It was the question I asked two people last month. The first was my husband. The second was my boss, whose office I had been in during October to ask for an earlier shift.
My husband gently reminded me that I had hated working the 2–10 shift because of the late hours and the commute home.
I only recently remembered how much spending time reading and writing in the morning had a calming effect on my anxiety. The hours I worked at night were semi-quiet while the mid-shift left me with very little time for anything except work.
I missed the late shift and was grateful for the flexibility to change back.
How often do I do that in other matters though?
Completely overlook the opportunity that lies in front of me because I can’t see past what I find inconvenient?
It’s often easier to go through something that we find challenging, complaining about what we hate.
Afterward, we realize that it was our opportunity to do something that we missed and want to return to or re-create the situation:
When plans get cancelled, it’s easy to bemoan what might have been. However, it’s an opportunity to choose something else to chase that is worthy of our time.
When saving for a financial goal, we hate sacrificing but the results plus the time we can spend making money is worth it.
We choose a different job or shift because what we have is inconvenient. Only later do we realize that what we asked for is more of a cage than what we had.
The list goes on, but the inherent need is to find the silver lining to everyday situations we may dislike. To look on the other side of the coin.
Instead of focusing on the negative, focus on what the opportunity affords you before deciding to change or leave. You might find that by doing something uncomfortable, it leads to a greater opportunity in another area.
