Half Empty or Half Full?

Perspective is a game changer

They always give you the glass half full spiel when your younger... but its true. It really is all about how you look at things that gives them the power to make or break your day, week, month or year. Great example... The other day my cats shut the door behind me and of course I had the lock turned towards locked (I know it sounds unbelievable and trust me I wish I could make this up), and I found myself  locked out of my house with dripping wet hair, in a worn Drake collegiate sweat shirt and boxer pajama shorts. 

After spending a good five minutes willing the door to open with my mind and another five pretending I could Hulk the door open, I went over to my next door neighbors house praying they wouldn't judge my appearance ( we are friendly, but not that friendly of neighbors). I knocked on the door and they welcomed me faster than I could explain the situation, and offered me a glass of white wine and grilled eggplant with goat cheese. 

After getting a hold of my landlord (spare keys are know strewn between my friends so this will not happen again) to let me into my house, we sat and talked over our glasses of white wine. I learned both were Harvard scholars, had publish best selling books, and also had both lost their parents at 19 like myself. 

My landlord arrived and saved me from sleeping in my front entryway and I thought about how enjoyable the night had been. I never knew the people next to me had such interesting pasts and so much knowledge to share with me. It was amazing that we lived right next to each other and knew so little about one another. 

Now back to the glass half full. I could have sat and made myself angry about the fact that I had been locked out, lost valuable working time, and had a laundry list of things that would need to put off because of the incident...But instead I was so relaxed from taking a break, I had my girl friends over for an impromptu wine and dinner potluck and took the night off.

It really is how you look at things that give them power... don't get me wrong its not easy to do, but when your glass is half full with white wine with a side of eggplant and goat cheese it makes it easier. 

I'd much rather have my glass half full 

Denial

Now I for one have never met a Sex and the City marathon I don't like

The inner workings of Carrie Bradshaw are sometimes just what I need to gain perspective on a situation (I'm not afraid to admit it). 

Yesterday she brought up denial. We can deny simple things such as we're not getting older, the number simply changes and we remain the same, or more serious matters such as going against our better judgement to deny what is right in front of our eyes. But in some cases, is denial a blessing, a glimmer of hope, possibly a positive coping mechanism?

My mind began swirling around the things that I had been in denial about in the past and the outcomes from keeping voluntary blinders over my eyes and my thoughts. 

And really looking back, denial was one of the best coping mechanisms there was for me with my Mom. Not because I was in denial that her cancer was getting worse, or in complete denial that it was there at all, but instead because denial (in its entirety) can simply allow you to push the not-so-pretty (thoughts, actions etc) into the back of your mind and allow you to continue with your daily life. At some point denial stems from hope, and sometimes its just what the doctors ordered.

As long as we able to understand that denial does not shape reality, and that it is a temporary escape... is it really deserving of such a bad reputation?