by Carole Dean
You are more powerful than you realize. How you react to situations affects your health, state of mind and future. You can keep your cool in the face of adversity or get mad and take everyone down with you. An old saying goes:
It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react to what happens.
When we are in the moment of rejection or loss it’s hard to be so philosophical, but that’s what can save us. If we believe there is a greater power watching out for us then perhaps we can handle the situation without over reacting. Emotional upset is a major energy drain and it affects our self esteem. When we feel rejected or unappreciated, we take this personally. Think back to some of your worst moments, then move ahead six months and see what happened in your life.
You may find that a crisis was really an opportunity for change. And what you thought was a crisis, later became a beneficial turning point in your life. But, not all benefits are in the form of money. Look at this Chinese Parable.
The Old Man and his Horse
There once was an old man who lived with his only son at the border of the state. The old man had a strong affection to his horses and he let them graze freely in the open meadow.
One day a servant reported that a horse was missing and told him how sorry he was for him. The old man was not bothered, “Who knows? The loss may bring us good fortune.” he said.
A few months later a strange thing happened. The horse returned and brought with it another fine horse. Everyone told him how lucky he was and he replied, “Who knows?”
One day when the old man’s son was riding the new horse he was thrown off, broke his leg, and was crippled. “Who knows? This may bring us good fortune” said the old man.
A year later, the neighboring state sent troops across the border. All the young, strong men were drafted to fight invaders and most of them were killed. The old man’s son was not drafted because the riding accident had saved his life.
The old man was not attached to the outcome, either good or bad. He just knew there was a greater force that was protecting him and he had the patience and faith to wait for the outcome. He knew he had the power and he used it for his betterment.
I know that’s difficult when you put your art out and people reject it. However, if you can find a way to not react to your immediate feeling of loss or anger, it will benefit you. You are the artist and it’s you who walks out of that meeting with your many talents that the other person probably does not have. So, thank heaven for who you are and all you have.
When something happens that seems like a major loss you have a choice. You can feel guilty; lose your confidence or just say to yourself, “Who knows? This may bring me good fortune.”
It’s your choice. You have the power. Use your power to your benefit.
