Weekly Tools and Tips to Improve Any Relationship
“Ariel” is a woman who works at my local super market. She has quite the bubbly personality and always makes a point to say hello to me every time she sees me. She yells out “Hey New York!” and blows me a kiss. She is a hoot!
The other day I commented on her tan and asked her where she went. (You don’t get that type of tan in Oregon at this time of year!) She told me she went to Hawaii for her vacation but then proceeded to tell me what happened to her before she left for her trip. Her pocketbook was stolen. All her credit cards and checkbook were in there. She felt violated, duped and a bit mad at herself because it happened right under her nose. She left her pocketbook under her seat at a local pub for a brief second while she turned her head to look at something.
She had seen a guy with a backpack earlier, but didn’t think much of it. It was that same guy who snatched her bag while she wasn’t looking.
That’s one of those life events that can be categorized as a “lemon” – leaves a sour taste and turns that smile into a puckering facial expression where you just want to let out a scream of frustration and say “ARGHHH”!
We all have life experiences that could be categorized as “lemons”. Some more sour than others. But it is what we make of those “lemons” and how we respond to them that determines how our future life will unfold and how happy we are during even the most trying times.
Sure, Ariel was frustrated that her pocketbook was stolen right before her trip to Hawaii, but she also chose to embrace the attitude of “it is what it is”, ranted a bit, had a few choice words for the person who did it (infusing her sassy and yet bubbly personality into the way she responded), and moved on from there. She called the authorities and had them handle the situation.
She did NOT declare that her vacation was ruined because of this unfortunate occurrence. She did NOT freak out assuming that all her credit cards were already charged up to their maximum limit. She just trusted that they would catch this guy and that all would be well.
As you have probably guessed by now, Ariel is definitely a YELLOW in the Color Code. She was able to let it go easily, embracing a positive attitude that he would be caught and that she will still have a fabulous & fun vacation, whether they caught him or not.
Obviously each color personality would have a different way of responding to this situation, which would definitely impact the outcome! However, today I want to focus on how things played out for this particular YELLOW and, share with you a helpful “Yellow” analogy on approaching negative situations. So here we go.
They ended up finding the thief at the local Walmart with her credit card in his hand … busted! And she got her pocketbook back. Yes, she was a bit inconvenienced by having to contact her bank and credit card companies, but she infused her sassy personality into a difficult situation with a light-hearted energy and it all turned out ok.
She enjoyed her Hawaii vacation and came back with a great big smile on her face.
Do you think her vacation would have turned out differently if she responded in a more negative way to that event? Sure it would have. Do you think that the way she responded played a role in whether the guy was caught or not and how quickly he was caught? Of course it did.
Our thoughts and feelings create our reality.
The energy you put out comes back to you and is always a match.
I prefer the analogy of turning life’s lemons into margaritas over the common phrase of “lemons into lemonade” because sometimes in life’s difficult situations, you just don’t have access to that extreme “sweet” side. You can’t immediately reach for pure joy when you are in the thick of a negative event. But you always have access to a whole array of emotions that could lead you on the path to feeling “relief”, where you can just chill out, relax and trust that it will all work out.
So how do you turn life’s lemons into a Margarita?
Release how you feel – let it all out. Have a hissy fit if you have to. Throw a pity party. Make that “pucker” face like you would after that first sip of a Margarita. But then, choose to move on (and the quicker you move on, the better). Any action step you take that leads you to feeling some relief will start turning the situation around for the better.
Whether you drink or not, “Margaritas” have a connotation of happy, fun, letting loose, relaxing with friends, a fiesta – a celebration of sorts. I see them as a “sassy” drink – one that makes you pucker initially, but as one of my friends told me, starts going down smooth.
Use this as an analogy on how to respond to life’s lemons. Let yourself feel your initial response, let it out, chill out and then just “make peace with what is”, knowing that if you believe it will turn around for the better … it will. You’ve got the power to choose how your respond to what life throws your way. Leverage that power and your mind, body and soul will thank you!
Maria Lesetz wants to live in a world where people focus more on what IS working in their lives vs. complaining about what is NOT working. She wants people to realize their power to choose happiness and then, for each individual to spread that positive energy to each and every person they meet. (Yes, of course she is a YELLOW in the Color Code!)
As an Executive Success Coach, Happiness Consultant, Certified Life Coach for Physicians & now a Certified Independent Color Code Trainer, she has been featured on Fox News Oregon, a variety of Health and Wellness radio shows, Connextion Magazine, Physician Family Media and many online Law of Attraction communities, where she has taught classes on leveraging the power of the mind/body connection!
When she is not coaching, writing and speaking, you can find her exercising on her Lovin’ Life walking path, taking cross country road trips, vacationing in Vegas & eating her favorite dark chocolate & Unsweetened Pure Leaf Lipton Iced Tea!
Learn more about Maria – and check out her latest “Finding Happiness Through Adversity” resources – at LovinLifeNow.com
