Sunday night I had to fly down to Los Angeles for some business I needed to be here to handle for the first part of the week. When I arrived in LAX it was after 10pm and I was exhausted and all I wanted was to get to the hotel and get to sleep. When my driver finally got there to pick me up he explained that the traffic had been horrendous and it had caused him to be late. As we talked on the drive to the hotel I asked him if the traffic in LA made him crazy. His response was simply awesome. He said, “No. I’m fine with it. Because it is what it is and I can either choose to deal with it or I can get off the road – that’s it. So I choose to deal with it and I may as well enjoy it.”
That driver’s attitude is awesome. He set such a good example for me that night. I had been feeling a little grouchy and tired and he reminded me that I had a choice – I could deal with it or get off the road so to speak and if I was choosing to deal with it than I may as well enjoy it!
It’s such a simple thing when he put it like that, and yet it taught an incredibly powerful lesson. We can either be all in or we can get out – those are our two choices in any situation – but being all in means being in and enjoying it! It all comes down to our attitude.
I love this quote by Charles Swindoll called “Attitude”:
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude… I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.”
Love it.
Have a great day everyone!
~Amy Rees Anderson
3 Comments
Attitude of gratitude 110%. I have Chuck Swindoll’s quote on my wall. 0n of my favorite reminders of how to have a successful life starts in James 1:2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
And this is just the beginning.
I read your posts daily and always come away enter.
SPOT ON!
I really liked the driver’s comment. It kind of goes wiht the old saying. Welcome customer’s problems…. it is because of their problems that they are our customers.
I am sure I did not quote that right, but without customers and their problems…. there is no business.
It is also true in marriage and raising our kids…. it is all a package deal if you want to be married, and I DO, if you want kids, and I DO… then I need to be willing to deal with the family issues. Great Post.
Ralph