I have met many people in my life who are very negative. They moan about seemingly everything and walk around with the weight of the world on their shoulders. I was also like that until the age of twenty-two, at this age I decided to have a new approach to life.
During an afternoon at work one day (we worked for a composite door company), aged as I say twenty-two, a colleague I was working with started to talk to me. What he said was a shock to me, however would have a profound effect on my future. He said to me:
“I am often shocked Steve at some of the things that you are say – you are living in one dark, lonely and depressing way, would you agree?”
“Am I?”
I said in a rather cautious voice – I had not realised that I was negative in comparison to other people. There were reasons for my often depressive state; I had a stuttering speech impediment for a start.
He continued:
“Yes you are. You very rarely smile, you are negative about most issues and you always seem to be carrying the world on your shoulders”.
He was aged 53 and he continued:
“I used to be like you and then I was given some advice, of which I am now going to relay to you. When you feel down, depressed or sorry for yourself, read the newspapers or watch the news on the television. By doing this should soon make you realise that you are not so unlucky after all.”
I had a long think about what he had said. I had never been a big reader or watcher of the news, but decided to give it a go. The advice he gave me was totally correct, the news from around the world and even my own country was quite shocking. I realised that the worries I had were actually quite trivial and that I needed to cherish everyday and start to look on the bright side of life.
I have now commenced a new career in the business cost reduction sector and have taken my new found positive attitude with me.
Conclusion: Start to appreciate what you have and the contentment will soon come.
Mail this post
