THE UPSIDE OF DOWNSIDES

Have you every had a pineapple upside down cake? I am sure that if you have, you would agree with me that it is quite yummy! But do you really think that this cake was intentionally made to be turned around? It was probably someone's mistake, where the topside of the cake turned out less than desirable and then just turned it around and made it work. 

As the old saying goes "stuff happens" (well the old saying uses a different word, but I'll just not go there today :) and some people panic and just see the negatives in everything. And then they try to drag everyone and everything down into that rabbit hole with them.

Because of my generally optimistic nature people assume that I've just never had anything which would be defined as "bad" happen to me. That I can only be smiling because my life has been filled with puppy dogs and rainbows. Those who know me well, know that this is hardly the case, but you know, I can generally find the proverbial silver lining or at least the humour or irony in pretty much every situation.

Do I ever have a pity party? Oh, every once in a while, I might allow myself 5 minutes with a "woe is me" approach, but it truly does just last for 5 minutes (or less) and then I get on with it. I can't change what's happened, I can only a) learn from it and b) consider the opportunities that have now presented themselves.

As an example, I have counselled many people who have lost their job, divorced, etc. When they are in the throes of the grieving process, it is difficult for them to hear me say "This is the best thing that's ever happened to you! You are being given an opportunity to go on to new vistas." Some look at me, wondering what illicit substances I might be imbibing, but experience has told me that this type of unexpected event is the proverbial "blessing in disguise."

But they can only be that if you allow them to be. If you become negative and "grumpy" and look up into the heavens and say "why me" and can't rise yourself above the fray, you will get stuck there. And the more you are like this, the less positive things will come your way and you have created a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because regardless of scientific evidence, opposites truly don't attract -- negative begets negative and positive begets positive.

So remember the upside down cake. Even when your life has been turned topsy turvy, you have a new perspective from where you can consider your options. And most likely they will be "yummy!"