avatarThe Sturg

Summary

The author reflects on the benefits of maintaining a positive, solution-focused mindset during challenging times, particularly in the context of living in a mobile box truck home.

Abstract

The author participates in a Self-Reflection Writing Challenge, specifically the "Look at the Glass Half-Full — Day 14" prompt, and shares personal insights on the importance of optimism. Despite acknowledging that constant optimism is unrealistic, the author emphasizes the power of viewing situations as "half full" to foster resilience and innovation, citing their own experience of turning a potentially dire living situation into a manageable and hopeful journey. The positive outlook has led to practical solutions, such as choosing to stay at a state park campground to save money in the long run, and has been instrumental in personal and professional success. The author credits their partner's similar mindset as a supportive factor in maintaining this attitude, which helps them navigate life's challenges with a sense of realism, resourcefulness, and intelligence.

Opinions

  • The author believes that a positive attitude has been crucial in overcoming difficulties and avoiding potential homelessness.
  • They acknowledge that while it's not possible to be optimistic all the time, striving to see the good in situations is essential for progress.
  • The author values the ability to see the positive aspects of their current living situation, which has enabled them to find innovative solutions and plan for the future.
  • They express that without a solution-focused approach, they might fall into a cycle of self-pity and depression.
  • The author appreciates having a partner who shares their positive and realistic mindset, which complements their resourceful and intelligent nature.
  • They are optimistic about the future, despite the challenges they face, and believe that their positive outlook will lead to a sunny road ahead.

SELF-REFLECTION WRITING CHALLENGE

Look at the Glass Half-Full — Day 14

I tell myself that when I get into a situation that needs me to be patient and calm

Photo by Nolan Simmons on Unsplash, Yes, Nolan, I agree, the glass is indeed half full.

Dr. Tracy Davis, I’m glad you came to the Community Building Movement and introduced this prompt. Today, I’m looking at my journey on this writing challenge as just about “half full”. In response to your question today, difficult situations have me looking at the glass as half full most of the time.

I know that we can’t be optimistic all of the time. Sometimes, reality sets in and starts to make us feel hopeless. I try my hardest though to fight through those feelings. If I had given into those feelings, we never would’ve settled into a plan to move all our stuff and design our mobile box truck home. It’s very possible that we would’ve gotten so sad and down in the dumps that we would’ve ended up homeless or worse.

I think that the fact that I see the glass half full helps us in a lot of ways. It allows me to see what’s already good about the present situation we’re in and build on that. If I were to focus on the bad, I wouldn’t be able to come up with solutions and innovations, especially in our current living situation. This also helps us when finding places to park and to sleep.

I came up with an idea to start sleeping at a state park campground even though it costs money. I then did a cost-benefit analysis and realized that even though it cost some money, the net savings would be a huge benefit to us in the long run and would help us achieve more of our long-term goals. If I had just been stuck thinking that we’d been stuck driving around the Pembroke-Corfu, New York area almost aimlessly between different travel centers, then I would’ve never come up with the solution, instead just focusing on the problem.

The state park gives us many benefits that are helping us in our present traveling situation. Gas prices are going down and that is definitely going to help us going into the colder months as we travel west and south eventually getting to Arizona for the winter. We could definitely use all of the savings that we can get now and through those months.

Keeping the focus on the things we can do and that we have in the present that will get us to the future with a better standing is what’s making it easier to keep the positive in focus. I could apply this lesson to so many more aspects of my life and has helped me in the past when I would succeed not only personally, but also in the professional world.

Having a positive outlook can definitely be hard when you’ve gone through a lot of stuff in life as I have but I’ve got to think about it. If I weren’t positive and solution-focused, then I could dig myself into a self-pitying and depressing loop that I’d never get out of. It’s also great to have a partner who is the same way when it comes to positive thinking.

We’re both realistic, resourceful, and intelligent, so this attitude definitely complements those traits. Today is a sunny day. There are a few clouds in the sky but I’d say our road in the near future even if there are some rainy days will continue to be sunny for years to come.

Day 13:

Writing
The Cb Movement
Writing Challenge
Life
This Happened To Me
Recommended from ReadMedium