Don't cry over spilled coffee, just make Lemonade

I like to prepare a few things for my mornings the night before. One is coffee. I fill the Keurig with water, refill the reusable filter with freshly ground coffee beans, and put my favorite coffee mug nearby; ready to press 'start' when I wake. I don't need coffee to wake up, I just like the ritual of it I guess (and adding collagen and a healthy creamer helps to start my day right). Works like a charm. UNTIL...

Today was different. After waking, I came into the kitchen, walked over to the coffee maker, turned it on, pressed the 'let's do this day' button and proceeded to do another task while it made the aromatic brew. As I was washing the dishes and unloading the dishwasher nearby, I glanced over at the coffee maker and there it was...coffee spilling all over the counter and the floor! I'd forgotten to put my mug on the drip tray. Well, I couldn't make any audible noises - I'd wake up Prince Charming snoozing away. So, I calmly grabbled paper towels and carefully, and slowly, wiped off the mess without being flustered.

Hmmm...life-lesson here?

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade"

This goes along with a previous blog I did on Perspective. However, personally, Perspective is thought; Making Lemonade is action.

After observing your perspective when something happens - that is, a 'less than optimal' or frustrating or upsetting something, what do you do next? Do you React or Respond?

Reaction, to me is negative thought with negative energy - not so healthy mentally and physically. Responding takes a bit of the emotional knee-jerk out of our actions and can often lead to a calmer head under the circumstances - thus, a better outcome?

This week, a friend of mine and I planned to attend a Masterclass at a fabulous summer institute for accomplished musicians from around the world - mostly college students. We were excited to observe the violin session. We drove 30 miles to the venue, walked in, no one was there. Totally perplexed, we looked at it other, checked our phone calendars, "are we on the wrong day???". Nope, it was cancelled at the last minute. My friend turned to me and said "let's make lemonade!". So, we left, spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the little town and even met a new friend. Response vs Reaction. Thanks Ally for the reminder.

Life is throwing us A LOT of curveballs these days more than ever in my opinion : economic, social, political, in academia, medical/health, global, and in our our relationships.

Crying over the 'spilled coffee' won't help anything. Can we have emotional responses related to such things, of course. However, what if you step back and respond after giving some thought and time to process first?

Is there a lesson to be learned in this? Probably so.

Action Step Ideas for this Week:

1. When something happens, STOP, see if you are reacting or responding?

2. Check off a box in your 'win column' if you chose to respond (to anything or anyone) instead of reacting.