half empty or half full?

I often come across articles in magazines that talk about "how to find REAL happiness" or "what to do if your boss is a jerk", etc. I read them, maybe pick up a tip or two, but none of them usually make me feel like they were written to me.

Last week, I read this article in Real Simple magazine that came at a time when I really needed to hear it. here's some excerpts:

"How often do you fret for hours or days (or weeks!) because someone seemed angry or didn't return a call? Maybe the problem is not the person's actions but your perception...We swim in a sea of interpretations. Wars are fought over interpretations. Elections are won or lost, the stock market moves up or down, ordinary decisions in life and work are made, all based largely on interpretations. Look back at your life. Look back to yesterday, to this morning. You called someone, and she didn't call you back. You emailed someone, and he didn't reply. Somebody gave you a funny look. What did you make it mean? Usually we make it mean: they didn't like what I said. They didn't like how I looked. They didn't like my recommendation. They didn't like me!

"It's amazing how much unhappiness we needlessly cause ourselves by ascribing negative meanings to simple things that happen in our lives. But it doesn't have to be that way. When we feel like this, we can learn to pause for a split second and ask ourselves these questions: How can I interpret what just happened in a way that gives me more energy and propels me forward, rather than dragging me back and making me feel inadequate or frustrated? At this moment, what am I committed to? What am I trying to achieve today?

"You might say, 'OK, but what if my first interpretation was right? What if the person who doesn't return my call or e-mail, or who looks at me funny, really is mad, or upset with me, or unimpressed with my idea?

Well what if he is? Then you're right, and you'll eventually deal with it and move on. But in the meantime, why make yourself miserable? Why not just go with the positive interpretation? You've got nothing to lose except being unhappy.

"For sure, bad things will happen, but you get to decide what they mean. The trick is to interpret life's events with optimism. Choose interpretations that make your heart sing, that give you the reason and the resolve to pursue your goals. An empowering interpretation is just as valid as a disempowering one. You get to decide what impact life has on you. Make it positive." (by Gail Blanke, Real Simple magazine)