Why You Should Focus on the Glass and Not What’s in It
How to silence the green-eyed monster.
Hi there!
“Some days,” my friend Gianni said, “it’s not about how full the glass is but rather about being grateful you have a glass.”
I laughed because Gianni is a joker and more known for his silliness than insights.
But his words stuck with me.
Mindset really is everything. It’s a lesson I learn every day, and why I work so hard producing content for this Positivity Club.
How can you be more grateful? Can you be more content? Let’s find out.
"The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don't have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it."
- Chris Pine
Scott Ninneman publishes two newsletters each week. The Sunday All Things Bipolar Newsletter features the newest content about bipolar life. The Speaking Bipolar Positivity Club Newsletter shares inspirational stories three times a week to help you maintain a positive mindset.
Everything Is a Choice
You have a choice in every situation: how will you let it affect you?
It may not always feel like a choice, but it always is one.
Living with bipolar is tough. At times, everything challenges me more than it seems I can handle. I struggle to leave the house, do my job, or spend time with people.
Even things at home don’t get the attention they deserve.
Tree limbs may lay scattered around the yard even weeks after a windstorm. Sometimes my shower gets so dirty, I’m tempted to rip it out and put in a new one.
Okay, so maybe not that bad, but for a guy who likes things tidy, it’s far from my usual standard.
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Jealousy Is a Green-Eyed Monster
One thing behind the worst feelings is jealousy.
I see so many people whose lives appear to be perfect. Things just fall into place for them.
They make ten times the money I make, travel to the coolest places, and never suffer from health issues.
While I, on the other hand, fight bipolar, an anxiety disorder, and a multitude of physical health problems while being the sole caretaker for my aging parents and grieving my best friend.
Yep, life is unfair, but you already know that.
When I realize I’m giving into the green-eyed monster, I give myself a pep talk.
“Scott,” I say, “You’re just being silly. You’re choosing to focus on the wrong things. No one’s life is perfect, even the people who seem to have it all. Everyone fights their secret internal monsters and hides parts of themselves too painful to talk about.”
Then I remember, I have a lot of reasons to be grateful.
I have a decent job that pays the bills. I’m a paid writer, even if it’s not as much as I would like to make. And I still have my parents while many of my friends have already lost theirs.
There’s often more good in our lives than we want to admit while depressed.
Appreciate What You Have
A few nights ago, I watched a short documentary on the 2016 Hurricane Matthew that wiped out large portions of Haiti.
Many people lost everything. One woman told the story about how the storm lifted her house up from around her and her children and carried it away, leaving them huddling in rising flood waters.
Few of us have ever been in such a terrible state.
What touched me most was the smiles on the people.
They were thankful to be alive and to have their families. They could replace everything else. Rather than focus on what they lost, they focused on what they still had.
Is my glass half full or half empty? It doesn’t really matter. For today, I choose to be grateful that I have a glass.
Many dream of what I have, so I’m going to stop brooding about the things I don’t have. I have a lot to be thankful for, and so do you.
So, for today, cherish your glass no matter how much is in it.
Just having a glass is enough for today.
How do you hold on to the positive in your life? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Do You Like to Write?
Use these writing prompts to help you think deeper about your proverbial glass.
Journal Prompt: What is your glass? Write about one thing you are grateful to have in your life and how having it makes your life better.
Creative Writing Prompt: Write a story that starts with a character saying, “That’s when I realized how important it was.”
Until next time, keep fighting.
Scott Ninneman
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Love this! It’s about being grateful for what you do have and your perspective on things. I practice gratitude everyday and when I think about things I want in the future or goals I try to imagine how happy I’ll feel when things come to me or I accomplish something. I’m already celebrating how good I’ll feel so I don’t have room for negative thoughts or feeling bad that I don’t have something. I’ve also accepted that bipolar has made life very difficult for me, which is why I’m so thankful for the days and weeks I feel good and can get things done. I give myself grace on the days that I’m down and can’t seem to get out of bed. We should all do this as long as we’re trying our best when we can. Thanks for this one! It’s a goodie!