When you look at a half-filled glass of water, what do you see? What do you call it? Is it half full or half empty? The choice between the two can be a direct correlation to our perception. “When it comes to difficult circumstances, you have two choices. You can complain about them, or you can make the most of them,” Mark Batterson said. When we make the most of something, it may be because we are looking at the situation with a glass half full perspective. When we choose to complain, it could be because we are looking at the situation with a glass half empty perspective.
Last week, I had a less than an ideal situation. Testing positive for Covid-19 was something that I had somehow managed to avoid all of 2020 and unfortunately, with less than two weeks before I move to a new city and the week of my girlfriend’s birthday, I tested positive. Difficult circumstance. Now a week into quarantine, I’ve realized that choosing to make the most of the situation is more important than ever. It’s been challenging and I’m sure anyone who has been affected by Covid has probably felt the same. From not being able to see anyone or leave your home to missing work or special occasions, the list goes on of ways we can be affected.
Now this got me thinking that covid aside, we often find ourselves in a variety of situations where we have to decide between the options to either, complain or make the most of it. Or the perception; glass half full or half empty. Why is it we should be glass half full people? Why is that sometimes the more difficult route?
When I started breaking this idea down, I realized there were a couple variables at play. One being the situation. It probably isn’t rocket science to understand that the harder the situation, the harder it is to be optimistic, and the harder it is to have a glass half full perspective. But further than the situation, another variable at play is the condition of our mind and our heart. And this is where the choice comes into play. The condition of our mind and heart will directly affect the choice we make and why we make the choice.
Let’s dive a little deeper because they go hand in hand. Training our mind to be mentally strong and conditioning our heart to choose the glass half full perspective allows for the situational choice to be easier. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” When we condition our mind to be optimistic, we can see situations as glass half full. When we decide to see situations from a glass half full perspective, we can make the most of the situation. Remember a few blog posts back when we talked about how hard times can be used for good in our lives? This is why. When we optimize hard times or tough situations and choose to make the most of it and view it from a glass half full perspective, there is growth and transformation that can happen through it. We can be better from it.
I would say I’m a glass half full person, but for me, a Covid positive test result was a jolt to my system and the timing of it was reason enough to make me complain about it. But I made the conscious choice to use a glass half full perspective, to decide not to dwell on the negative and missed expectations like we talked about last week. I encourage you to do the same. I don’t know what your situation is now, and what situations you’ve been in lately. When you’re faced with a situation, condition your mind and heart to use a glass half full mentality, choose to make the most of the situation.
WORKOUT
This week, to do something a little different for the workout we are going to focus on rest and recovery. If I’ve learned one thing during this quarantine, it’s that rest is so crucial to our health.
Maybe this week it’s a walk outside or some stretching, maybe it’s taking the week off. Whatever it is for you, choose to look at the down time with a glass half full approach. It’s good for you.
Hammer and Anvil 