Better And Happier
In this day and age, I always try to see the good side of everything, but truly I can’t deny reality. This leads me to a Chinese proverb which says “If a problem has a solution then… why worry about it? If your problem doesn’t have a solution then… why worry about it?”
Victor Küppers talks about the power of your attitude, the difference between people who have full gas bulbs or burnt out ones and about circumstances to be solved instead of problems. He alleges that we are never able to choose or change the cards we are dealt, but rather we can always play in one way or another, or even have a trick up our sleeve. This is ‘the cherry on top of the cake’; the power of attitude, human beings’ last freedom.
Being optimistic is harder than being pessimistic. For the latter, the only thing that you have to do is to ‘go with the flow’ during bad times. To be optimistic you have to take up a challenge every morning and, sometimes, this is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed. It is true that we are taught not to be happy, or to love ourselves, or accept ourselves… which, in fact, would be a path towards setting us free from worrying about others people’s acceptance. The simplest option is often the best one.
It is often said that you can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs, but needless to say, happiness is the only option which brings nothing bad; only good. Good attracts good. However, at no time will we be happier just by telling ourselves “I’m happy”. Nevertheless, it is scientifically proved that stress and suffering have a powerful and negative influence on our physical and mental health; not only are we a body, but we are also a soul or energy – whichever you like. Therefore, clinging to bad thoughts or frustrating and painful situations, only prevent us from reaching favourable conditions. As a quote asserts “A big mistake is to ruin the present, remembering a past that has no future.”
In light of the above, it just conveys that there’s no time like the present and we have to live life to the limit because in the blink of an eye everything can change – ask the people of Wuhan. For that reason, don’t waste your time complaining. If you focused more on the good things, you would not see the bad ones, at least, not so much.
Were I to sum up, I would say: “Try to be more optimistic – practice makes perfect. Surround yourself with people who make you feel better and the other way around because as my favourite quote says “Let no-one ever come to you without leaving better and happier”.
Lola Pérez Tomás
Escuela Oficial de Idiomas de Murcia