In the movie Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolate. You never know what you’re going to get”. The thing is, we are continually reminded of the validity of this quote every single day. Life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows, happiness and heartbreak, the expected and the unexpected. It is natural for us to prefer the good times and to hope everything goes our way. But despite so, that is never the case, and to be honest, I think life is better with a mix of everything; like a box of chocolate.
Would life really be that perfect if everything always went the way we wanted it to? Do we always know what’s best for us? Or do good things sometimes arise from seemingly adverse circumstances? And is it actually better to also experience a degree of hardship and obstacles?
In this article, I would like to suggest that we should all enjoy the good times, but also learn from the bad. That life is never going to pan out the way we expect it, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That everything is teaching us something we need to learn, and all of life’s imperfections are what makes life perfect just the way it is.
Enjoying the good and learning from the bad
It is inevitable that life will always be a mixture of good and bad. The perception of good comes from us liking something, and the perception of bad comes from what we dislike. It is not always possible to control the external environment to always get what we want, but we can most definitely manage our attitude and how we perceive things. Because when our attitude changes, our perceptions change, and that changes everything.
For example, when we experience frustration and disappointment, problems and setbacks, instead of letting it bring us down, we can perceive them as precious opportunities that test our resolve and challenge our problem-solving abilities. Simply by making this one small change in attitude, these once negative situations now become tools for spiritual growth and personal development. It’s not to say that such moments won’t still be challenging, but they will be confronted with positivity, hope, and enthusiasm.
Over time, we will see the importance of having obstacles and challenges in life as they provide us with so much wisdom, experience, and understanding. Then we naturally develop a mind that remains calm and optimistic regardless of the surrounding environment, and we learn to perceive the positive qualities of all circumstances. All it takes is a change in attitude and suddenly all situations, good or bad, become learning moments and opportunities for growth; we become open to all the valuable lessons life is trying to teach us.
Life is an adventure full of mysteries and the unexpected
We all have an ideal we want to follow. A path we think will lead us to happiness and fulfillment. And we want nothing more than for things to go the way we plan. However, life is never straightforward, throwing all sorts of mysterious possibilities and unexpected scenarios our way when we least see it coming. When that happens, we cannot help but feel stressed, anxious, and hopeless.
But what if what we think is best for us is what is limiting us? That when we insist on one rigid path, we lose sight of everything else around us? I want to suggest that life may be more adventurous, meaningful, and vast if we were to maintain an open heart, a flexible mind, and a curious attitude. We must admit to ourselves that we don’t always know what’s best for us, because there is just too much we haven’t considered, too much we cannot see. It’s possible to remain positive in all circumstances, optimistic in the face of all challenges, and hopeful at all times, because there are always benefits, opportunities and precious lessons within all good or bad situation. We just need to know where and how to look, and it begins with developing a flexible, curious, and brave attitude.
As with all phenomena, there is always another side, and it’s up to us to uncover it. For example, being sick at home may seem bad, but it gives you some time for reading, meditation, or introspection. Losing your job may appear to be a great misfortune, but it’s also a good chance to choose something else you really enjoy, to reignite your passion, and to start a fresh new chapter. Being constantly busy at work may seem too much to bear, but it’s a unique opportunity to cultivate patience, concentration, and empathy and become a master of your trade. When something bad happens, it is up to us to uncover its positive side, change its label from disaster to opportunity, and turn anxiety and despair into gratitude and optimism. Over time, we will see the light within all seemingly dark situations, we realize that life has a perfect blend of mystery, adventure and opportunity, and that’s what makes life perfect just the way it is. By changing our attitude and mindset towards life, we change the entirety of life itself.
Conclusion
Ultimately, life just is. What is it? That’s entirely up to us. It is not surprising that optimistic and grateful people are generally happier and more fulfilled because they perceive the positives in life. Similarly, closed-minded and negative people tend to suffer more stress, anxiety, and misfortune because they habitually focus more on the downside. With a flexible, open mind and a curious, brave attitude, we will realize that our family, friends and colleagues all have experiences we can learn from, that our schools and workplaces are places for growth and development, and that all of life’s ups and downs, highs and lows are valuable lessons that serve to teach us something we need to learn. When we live life with such a mindset, every day is full of potential, every moment is a miracle, and every experience is uniquely profound. Life will be perfect just the way it is.
May we all enjoy our own enriching adventure of life and may we learn from everything around us to become the best versions of ourselves we can be.
Thanks for reading
Kind regards,
Byron ❤