When life gives you lemons

When life gives you lemons make lemonade… I’m an optimist it’s not something I was born with its an attitude that I’ve cultured over the last ten years or so. At one point in my life I came to a conclusion, 99% of what happens to me is outside of my control. I have very little say in most things. What I get to do is choose how I react to those situations.

Period.

I could never have predicted my path; I’m not the type that had his whole life planned out at ten years old unlike some friends of mine. I’ve never know where I was going, all I’ve tried to do is make decisions based on what I like to do. Based on what is most important to me. For me that means that almost all of my decisions come down to the following factors: family, Judaism and friends.
How does that have to do with being optimistic? Good question.

I think or what I’ve tried to cultivate in any case is no matter what happens around me I look at it through those two lenses. A past situation being: my job wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I hated working for a bank. I found it soulless. But my decision to do so opened up other doors. It allowed me to make great friends and explore New York City. The crash in the sub-prime mortgage market, forced me out of the finance industry and off to Israel; the subsequent trip lead to a new field and a new understanding of what it means for me to be both Jewish and an adult.

Along the way I was, am, and continue to be confused, hurt, etc. I do dwell on that, there are times I find it hard not to. But I am an optimist. It’s become a decision to make the best of what I have.

It’s a choice.

It’s not always an easy one to make. But I find that when I do make it, I react better to what is happening around me, which allows me to make better decisions and those better decisions lead me to better outcomes in the future Aad even when they don’t I’d still rather go around expecting the best, but hey that’s just me.

I’ll leave you with the immortal words of Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert:

Dogbert "well, look on the bright side, you know, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade"
Dilbert "I'm allergic to citrus"
Dogbert "well, look on the bright side, you know, when life gives you lemons, swell up and die"