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Victory belongs to the most persevering.
~ Napolean Bonaparte ~
Victim
or Victorious by Leslie Karen Sann, MA, LCPC
Most stories end arbitrarily. The prince doesn't
just marry the princess and they live happily ever after. We all know they
sometimes argue, but then they make up. She gets sick, then she gets
better. He burns dinner so they go out, etc.
And then there is a story of the man who joined the
Air Force and was assigned to the paratroopers, which he thought was bad
news. But, the good news is he liked to fly. But, the bad news is they
took him over enemy territory. But, the good news is there was no ground
fire. But, the bad news is they told him he would have to jump. But, the
good news is the parachute opened. But, the bad news is the ground came up
quickly. But the good news is the parachute held. But, the bad news is it
ripped. But, good news is he saw he could guide himself into a haystack.
But, the bad news is in the middle of the haystack there was a pitchfork
sticking up. But, the good news is he missed the pitchfork. But, the bad
news is he missed the haystack altogether. Get the point?
So where do you end your story. It's the good
news/bad news syndrome. The bad news is my refrigerator is broken. The
good news is I wanted to go on a diet anyway. The bad news is the fire
hydrant in front of my house opened up onto the front of the building. The
good news is I needed to have my windows washed. ...
A recent example for me is during a visit to an 89
year-old family member, who lives on her own with macular degeneration,
(yea Lucille), we discovered someone she hired, in her words, rookie doo'd
her out of $20. (Rookie doo, as in schnooked, bamboozled, conned). In
telling us the story she was very aware of how vulnerable she is living
alone with her disability. I'm sure I could embellish the story and make
sure by the time I was done you'd feel sorry for the poor dear and angry
at the man who took her money.
But what if I told you that this moment of
vulnerability was a gift to all of us in that she was finally, after years
of us asking, willing to say yes to community support. Her husband was a
Mason and the Mason's have a commitment to take care of widows and
orphans. Her yes had me on the phone calling Mr. Dickey, head of the local
Mason lodge, who came over to meet her while we were there. They now have
a connection and she will be asking him for the help she needs in hiring
trustworthy help. How great is it that man took her for $20. What a gift
it was to us all. Thank you Mr. Con Man.
Sometimes we don't tell ourselves, or others, the
whole story. We each have the power to choose where to end our story.
Which would you prefer? Victim or Victorious?
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JUST FOR FUN EXERCISE
Challenge yourself to turn some "bad" news
into good news, if you just choose to change where your story ends. Ask
yourself, and then what? I'd love to hear what you discover.
A True Victory: Victorious -- watch
this
A Reader Shares a WIN:
I have decided to take early retirement on
12/31/2011. This was a decision that I had been thinking about for a while
but I was so overwhelmed with having an elderly, frail parent to look
after that I didn't think I had the time or the energy to do it. My win is
that using the skills from your workshops I will transition to a new
career on January 1, 2012! ~ Natasha ~
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