Aug 4, 2018
What The Small Actions Tell About Ourselves
The Daily Grind #34
Today is Saturday and in typical Saturday fashion, I go out and spend time with my cousin. It’s a good time for me to unwind and even contemplate on my week thus far.
However, last week we were supposed to get hit with a thunderstorm on Saturday. As a result, we planned to meet up on Sunday. Truth is that we didn’t get hit with one on Saturday and it was a regular and sunny day.
Damn you weather network.
This week though I look out to notice that it is actually raining and yet I feel compelled to get out and bike as opposed to waiting for a drive.
While these things are all minor details in our lives, they say a lot about our own character and what it is that we value.
In response to me playing it safe last week, my father made a witty remark about that “there’s totally going to be a thunderstorm” (for the record, there were hardly any clouds let alone clouds that were dark). As for my mother she scoffed and said why I wouldn’t bike in a thunderstorm.
You can tell from that interaction that I could be seen as cautious and looking at other possibilities. I acknowledge the potential threat but I could also be worried over nothing which was the case. I’m the type of guy who looks at the situation and finds the best way to approach the problem.
For my father, he is direct, and matter-of-fact. He has a knack for making people talk their way into a state that what they’re trying to tell themselves is bullshit. He’s the type of guy who’ll get out in the rain no matter the circumstances.
My mother on the other hand doesn’t always think things through. There’s certainly an adventurous side to her, but if you saw her smile and tone of voice she was being sarcastic. She’s the one who stays in dry places when there’s a downpour and will only get out into the rain if she absolutely has to. All the while she’ll be going as fast as she can to get to the next dry spot.
The Little Bit Of Rain Means Something
As little as a bit of rain is this says a lot about how we handle our problems in our own lives. To change our own character and values is to change how we interact with the rain.
My mother is a predictable woman who doesn’t change how she does things unless she absolutely has to.
My father will stop everything and find the best solution for him at the time. He also is thorough with his research.
I consider everything I need to know and make a decision before taking action.
These are all things that we value as an individual and how we choose to interact says a lot about our character.
When we decide to change how we interact, it adds another layer of depth to our character. It reinforces those values or shifts them. Not only that but those patterns repeat in every instance of our lives.
When we face bigger challenges you can already tell how people will react to things.
When there was a loss in the family, my mother was terribly sad for much longer periods of time than my brother, myself, and my father.
My father focused forward. He certainly felt sorrow, but he handled it in a way where he wouldn’t cry.
Me on the other hand was a mixture of both. I felt sad and I showed it, but I was also quick to move on.
How we react and deal with the small problems is no coincidence to how we deal with larger problems in our lives.
So if you are not satisfied with how you handle the small problems, then you can change your thinking.
If you’re someone who is reluctant to changing things, consider looking at the situation logically. What exactly is stopping you from getting out in the rain?
If you’re analytical like me, consider saying fuck it to all the analytics and thoughts and run with a plan in mind only to expand it.
And if you’re someone already dancing in the rain, find more reasons to jump into it and become a bolder individual.
When we change how we handle the small issues in our lives, our perspective will shift. This in turn changes the lessons and the type of growth we experience when we learn from these things.
To your growth!
Eric S Burdon
Yesterday was a drag of me attempting to wake myself up considering my lack of sleep yesterday. Despite that, I was able to get through a lot of things. From writing several articles, getting my client work done, and even squeezing in a walk.
It was during this long walk where I was able to come up with some more revelations and ideas for my next moves. I’m excited for it!
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