Your Perception Is Your Reality // Words of Wisdom

Hey, Friends! I hope you are all having a wonderful week. My week is on the up and up compared to my last. My Mac laptop hard-drive basically crashed, so it is at the Apple store getting a “facelift” as I call it. Luckily I was able to catch the issue before I lost everything, thank you JESUS! Then I took a photography class with my best friend and accidently formatted my memory card losing everything on my professional camera! I mean, SERIOUSLY. I lost a few pictures that I hold dear to me including some of Noelia when she was younger, but I definitely learned my lesson. And because Nebraska loves to play games, it snowed a few inches over the weekend. To anyone else it is just annoying, but to me it really affects my blogging work. I take my photos during the weekends so I really had to hustle and figure out a different route. Mulhalls in Omaha is always my go-to during bad weather days. I am so thankful they are picture (and dog!) friendly. Their atmosphere is so inviting and I love how unique they make every corner.

So, with that horrible week in mind, I wanted to write this post today on attitude. It really is everything, and it is tested in those times that make our blood boil. I have had plentyyy of opportunities in life where my attitude was the only thing I could control in a bad situation. To be honest, I typically chose to be sour. I am a very passionate, driven person so when things do not pan out how I believe they should I really let my mind get the best of me. I am not afraid to admit my faults, although in the moment it is hard for me. I always think back to those high school days when my attitude would drive the way I acted and treated people. I have always worn my heart on my sleeve and when I got hurt or even hurt others my attitude only made the outcome worse. I allowed my passionate heart to drive my thoughts in a negative way. It’s easy to think “If only I could go back and change things!” Wouldn’t that be nice?! If I hadn’t had those experiences, I really wouldn’t be the person I am today. Those times have given me life lessons that I can apply to many situations.

I talk about my husband often and how he really is a man of knowledge. That man could give you the best motivational speech you have ever heard in our kitchen at 10:30 at night. His mouth flows with sincere advice and love, and not just to me but everyone he talks to. Brody always says your response determines the outcome. This phrase may seem like a simple concept, but is it simple when you are in an argument with your spouse? Is it simple when you are cut from a job? When your kids are throwing the up-most FIT        inside a store? When your heart is broken?  It is actually very, very difficult. I have found that since I have started blogging and venturing out into marketing myself as a brand, this concept is more important than ever. By putting myself out there I am allowing to be criticized (whether good or bad) and told a simple “No” by brands/companies at times. If my response is always negative, I will never get anywhere. If Michael Jordan never kept playing basketball after being cut from his high school team, where do you think he would be now? A “no” can be negative, only if you let it. He kept persevering and now he is one (if not THE) greatest player of all time.

Since I have added blogging to my plate, I am truly busier than ever. Life is a juggling act right now. When the snow or a broken computer get in my way, I reallllly have to dig deep. I mean dig, dig, dig, and keep digging. But then God reminds you…what I love most about this post is what I am about to say!

Sunday morning when myself and the worship team were rehearsing before church I texted Brody and said “I feel like I am being attacked by the devil lately”. Brody did as Brody does and responded with, “Well, how are you going to handle it? Are you going to give up? Or are you going to keep persevering? It’s a MINDSET” I could not make this up even if I tried….the sermon that day was on ATTITUDE. It was as if God was speaking straight through our Pastor to me, and He was. Our Pastor had a very good point that Sunday. He said, “I believe that every bad attitude you feel is derived from a lie you believe.” Think about it…how many times do we get upset over things we cannot control? Or things that we are over analyzing? Life is about 10% what happens to you and 90% about how you respond.

Friends, I encourage you to analyze how you react to situations and see how you could respond differently. Is something so small affecting your whole day? How is it, why is it? We were meant to thrive not just survive! There should be no time in your walk through life for poor thoughts. I have been there (and still there at times!). It is something that I need to constantly work on!

Did this post help or touch you in anyway? I would love to know!