Are you the Lemon or Lemonade?

There is a story, I think it is Buddhist, when life hits you with an unexpected arrow don’t get a second arrow to stab yourself. Also known as don’t make matters worse.

Life is going to forever, always, constantly, and never ending throw challenges at us.

Accept it.

We can know this but, maybe we don’t recognize it. Or we respond habitually to the negative, we fight it.

And yet that resistance only makes the situation harder. We put our mental energy behind it, thus enhancing our own suffering of the situation.

If your car gets a flat tire, don’t go and stab the other three. Acknowledge that this sucks-you have one minute to whine- then take action by getting it fixed!

If the weather is cold and snowy, again, put on your warmest gear and get to it. Whining won’t make the snow melt or go away, but you can take note of your feelings, then accept what is, followed by taking action.

Discomfort, challenges, illnesses, and such help us build resilience. We have the choice to take control of what we can, our thoughts, or we can add fuel to the fire.

Think of how many sayings or metaphors are out there to guide us along our path. What I am saying is nothing new to you.

The key is to recognize the moment life hits you with an arrow.

In that moment recognize how you want to live your life?

Victim to life’s whimsy or in control of your own thoughts, perceptions, and action?

One way to keep yourself in check is by noticing the stories you share with your friends and neighbors. Do they have a whoa is me theme? Or is your theme about making lemonade from the lemons life lobbed at you?

Check yourself.

Catch the lemons, make lemonade, then share that with your friends.