It’s been a gloomy week and a bleak weekend.
There’s been little more than overcast skies and wet days – a sort of pathetic fallacy to accompany a week of things not quite going as planned.
The Storm Clouds
Mostly, it’s been a week of chaos and disappointments. Moving cost more than I budgeted for and suddenly some of my best clients are either behind on paying invoices or haven’t dished out any great projects these past few weeks.
Contrasted with the first half of the month where I met all my weekly targets and took on some great projects, it makes it all the worse and all the more unexpected. What I had expected was to hit an all-time high and kick the next month off with a bang. Well…that’s not quite how it happened.
Finding the Silver Lining
We’ve all had days and weeks and months like this when nothing seems to go right and everything that can go wrong seems to do exactly that. But the older I’ve gotten, the better I’ve become at seeking out a silver lining behind every dark and stormy cloud.
It’s not that I’m optimistic, because I’m not. I don’t believe things happen for the best or that everything will work itself out. In fact, most people call me a pessimist. I call myself a realist.
Yet, if we have nothing to look forward to, how do we remain motivated or sane? I’ve learned to handle problems by focusing almost entirely on the solutions and what’s going right at the moment. Even when most things aren’t, there has to be something that is.
I remind myself and those who believe they’ve come to their worst:
Even rock bottom has its advantages. You’re finally in a position where you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Springtime Hiking
So rather than sulk about everything that hasn’t gone my way this week, I plan to focus on what did go right and what has made me happy.
I spent the first night in the new apartment, explored my surroundings, and already completed some minor tasks for the upcoming renovation. This might not represent everything I wanted to accomplish, but it’s a start and that’s already a few steps in the right direction.
But even more fun than looking at blinds and appliances and putting holes in walls was our springtime hiking trip, right before the chaos began. In the spring, the flowers are blossoming, it’s warm enough to enjoy the outdoors, and the birds are singing again. You can’t help but be in a good mood.
It was a far more peaceful time when our only concern was brushing blossoms from my hair and making it back to the car before it rained. What I would give to be back there again…
Reblogged this on TwoToneTheArtist and commented:
Hiking in the spring with Alex and Tyko.
If even rock bottom has its advantages then everything does work out for the best. Unless you never come back from rock bottom.
Good observation, but some people never recover from rock bottom. And even getting a little better doesn’t mean it worked out for the best. Thanks for dropping by again. 🙂