How do you react?

Say the right words, Read the right books, Listen to the right tapes, Be with the right people, Do the right things, Pray the right prayer.  We all worry that we aren’t enough or aren’t doing enough to be successful.  What do you do to tip the balance in your favor?  Do you keep moving forward or allow life to stop you in your tracks?

Struggles..they are what defines us.  When faced with something that seems insurmountable, how do you respond?  I don’t know about you, but I never plan out how I react to situations, it just seems to happen.  Like the other day for instance. I was being very specific in what I needed to accomplish, highly motivated to take on the mountain of to do’s I had written down.  The boys were going to be off getting some awesome “boy time” outside playing baseball so I had the house to myself.  I was excited because my house was quiet and I just knew I would be very productive!

 I accidentally knocked my insulated coffee mug off of my desk with the lid open and it began to spill on my hardwood floors.  I bent down so I could pick it up, accidentally knocked it under my wheelchair as I am parked at my desk.  I couldn’t get up unless I moved my wheelchair from the desk so I had to roll backwards and thus dragging my coffee cup with me spilling coffee all the while.  I did not react well.  I was angry at the weakness being shown in myself.  I ranted and raved, talking very disparaging about my MS I must admit.  I did finally calm down and became the rational person I am usually.

I managed to set the cup upright but not before I had coffee all over my floor.  I couldn’t use my wheelchair to get rags because it would have had to roll through the spill, so I had to walk.  If you have ever seen me walk it is a slow process, considering I wasn’t even able to stand until I started P90X and Shakeology this is a huge step for me..literally!  I didn’t have a cane, walker, or even an able bodied person to help me so I had to use walls to keep me balanced and upright.  I did it..admittedly it wasn’t pretty but I succeeded in doing something incredibly basic and it was a triumph for me.  You see until Dan and I changed our lives if I had to do something like that it would have been impossible.  In fact, I remember one time falling and having to army crawl somewhere just 10 feet away and it taking 30 minutes.  This little speed bum took me less than 10 minutes to clean up.  I felt incredibly victorious!

I share this with you because I wanted you to see that struggles come in all shapes and sizes.  Some struggles are HUGE and life threatening, but struggles also come in little things like spilled coffee.  You will continually face things in life that will either set you back or will strengthen you.  I spent several years letting little and big struggles beat me down.  I refuse to do that anymore!  I am in control of my life and how I respond to the things going on around me are a direct reflection of that mindset.  I encourage you to be in control of your current struggles, whatever they might be.  It all begins with you!