What's Your Perspective?

This has been a rough week for many people. We're adjusting to life after the Christmas & New Year holiday. Many are adjusting to going back to work after some vacation time. Many children are back in school. And many are dealing with the effects that Old Man Winter has brought. Depending on where you live and what kind of weather you are experiencing could explain what is influencing your perspective. Many people are dealing with snow, many with bitterly cold temperatures, some cold/snow days for teachers and students, and many have to deal with a lack of heat.

I began my week by sending my daughter back to college and myself heading back to work; for me that meant packing my lunch, setting the alarm for an earlier time, and wearing thick socks and a warm sweater. The furnace that heats my office at work apparently decided it was still on vacation and didn't work for 2.5 days. I'll admit that I'm not used to being that cold. Where oh where are my hot flashes when I need them? I whined a bit and complained until I realized the back portion of the church where I work was 10-15 degrees colder than my office. That, in itself, helped me regain my perspective. It can always be worse. I have a job. I have thick socks and warm sweaters. I have a warm house to go back to. Many have it much worse.

Last night my husband jokingly said, 'Tomorrow's forecast is a high of 10 degrees and a low of 10 degrees.' I suppose that's when you have to consider whether your attitude will compare to a glass being half empty or half full. I chose the 'half full' approach and have tried to maintain it to the best of my ability. When I got to work the outside temperature was 3 degrees with a wind chill of -14. I complained to myself for about an hour until my son, who is a school teacher on the west side of the state, called to tell me he and his wife (also a teacher) had their 2nd consecutive snow day because their outside temperature was -7 with a wind chill of -29 AND they had snow and more on the way tonight.

The beauty about perspectives is that they are something we can control and something that can change in an instant if we decide we don't like them. Take the time to look at any situation and consider all of the possibilities and how things could be different; for better or worse. Consider your options and then consider what perspective would be most beneficial for you to take.

How are you dealing with the cold temperatures? If you're someplace warm right now try not brag to the rest of us, just send some warmth back in our direction.