Stuff happens. What happens is neither good nor bad. It merely IS. But we, in our attempt to understand everything, stick labels on things. We call things big or small, hot or cold, smooth or rough. These descriptive words can help, but where we go astray is when we label things as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ These two words (and other negative and positive words) do not describe reality; they merely describe how we FEEL at the moment.

For instance, as I write this, it is raining and the sky is grey. Suppose a friend calls from another city and asks me what the weather is like. If I were to answer, “The weather is lousy,” that does not describe what is happening outside (the weather), but what is happening inside (my feelings). We cannot master life until we master how we describe it, for the words we use determine how we feel. Does it make sense to describe a rainy day as ‘lousy’? Why would I want to feel bad?

Suppose I had answered my friend’s question differently. If I had stuck to the facts and said, “It is raining and the sky is grey,” then I would have been detached from the events (rain and grey sky) and free to go on enjoying life. The way we see things is not based on reality but, on a choice we make. Why not choose to see things pragmatically. That is, pick a viewpoint that works for you, empowers you. Why spend time choosing a viewpoint that works against you and prevents you from getting the most out of life?

Suppose you lived at the foot of a mountain. Would you see the mountain as a glorious opportunity for adventure by conquering it and yourself? Or would you see it as requiring too much effort to scale and just an inconvenient barrier? I believe the perspective of G. K. Chesterton (1874~1936) is the correct one, “An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.”

A mountain is whatever we say it is, inconvenience or adventure. So it is with life. The choice of how we look at it is a switch that fills our lives with light or darkness. Why is it that many people still don’t realize that it is THEIR FINGER that is on the switch? I choose to see life as a magnificent adventure, not a struggle that I have to put up with. As a result, I have known and continue to experience many adventures.

Today, many of us work with computers. Although I love computers, every now and then something goes wrong, such as misplacing a file. But when something goes amiss, it is not because the computer doesn’t like me or life is unfair, but because I did something wrong. I try to learn from my mistake and avoid making similar errors again. I’m sure you behave in the same way.

Yet, when it comes to managing the greatest computer of all (our brain and mind), many act differently. When they get bad results, rather than trying to learn what they did incorrectly, they search for scapegoats. Instead of seeking solutions they search for excuses.

Many computer users are familiar with the term GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out), which simply means that the results we get are only as good as the input. The same is true for the computer that controls my life (my brain and mind). If I put garbage in my mind (negative thoughts), the output will be garbage (an unhappy life).

It is essential that we clearly understand the relationship between our thoughts and the life we experience. If I insist on dwelling on negative thoughts, I will feel negative, which will lead to negative behavior, which in turn will bring about negative results. Of course, when I choose to focus on the positive, the opposite happens. In a word, what I choose to think about acts as a switch that either opens the blinds, flooding my life with light, or closes the blinds, shutting out the light.

Since we have a choice, doesn’t it make sense to look at life as an exciting adventure? Many have already done so, and here is an example:

“What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for.” (George Leigh Mallory, 1886~1924).

Before we can make the right choices, we have to be aware of our choices. The great writer Joseph Epstein contrasts what we can and cannot choose:

“All men and women are born, live, suffer and die; what distinguishes us one from another is our dreams, whether they be dreams about worldly or unworldly things, and what we do to make them come about... We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents. We do not choose our historical epoch, the country of our birth, or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, WE DO CHOOSE HOW WE LIVE.”

Adventure is the champagne of life. Like champagne, make your life sparkle. But what of those who have not yet discovered that life is an adventure? What can they do to bring themselves closer to this empowering point of view? Developing the curiosity, courage, and commitment of a child would help.

Children are filled with insatiable curiosity. Each step they take is a step into the unknown. What will they discover next? What will they encounter around the corner? They lead the life of an adventurer and explorer. They don’t understand the meaning of ‘boring.’ You were once that child and you have the right to reclaim that inquisitive spirit.

It’s not hard to do so. Start by shifting your attention away from that empty, banal chatter that clutters your mind and focus on what is happening around you now. What do you hear? Can you tune in on something enchanting or fascinating? Be curious. Search for it. Find it.

Do the same with your other senses. For instance, how many of the surrounding odors, aromas, or fragrances can you identify? How many of them were you ignoring or overlooking? Let’s try the other senses. What about touch? Can you feel the warmth or coolness of your environment? Where do you feel it most?

How about taste? Lick your lips. How do they taste? Why do they taste that way? Is it because of something you ate or drank or because of the environment (the rain or a sea breeze)? Look around you. What do you see that is interesting or different? These exercises help to draw us out of the fantasy world of our imagination and replant us in reality. How can we enjoy life if we are unaware of its presence?

Also, be curious about your own mind. Explore it. Rather than ignoring the chatter of your mind, observe it. What are you usually thinking about? Are your thoughts helpful or harmful? If harmful, what thoughts should you replace them with?
Because every step a child takes is a step into the unknown, it takes great courage to continue on its journey of discovery. Courage is the second trait of a child that we need to reclaim. For without it, our journey may come to an abrupt halt. Johann Friedrich Von Schiller (1759~1805) put it well, “Who dares nothing, need hope for nothing.”

As young children explore their world, they may slip, stumble, or stagger, but if they fall, they simply pick themselves up and go on again. This is the third characteristic of children that we need to reclaim, commitment. Those who are committed, never give up. Their mindset doesn’t allow it. To them, there is no such thing as failure, only lessons to be learned.

Let’s turn to Anais Nin for wisdom:

“It takes courage to push yourself
to places that you have never been before...
to test your limits... to break through barriers.

“And the day came when the risk it took
to remain tight inside the bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

Within you is a bud waiting to blossom. It is a little child with curiosity, courage, and commitment, that is eager to participate in the adventure we call life. Are you willing to embrace that child, take it by the hand, and join it on its remarkable journey?

Author's Bio: 

Chuck Gallozzi lived in Japan for 15 years, immersing himself in the wisdom of the Far East. He is the author of the book,The 3 Thieves and 4 Pillars of Happiness, 7 Steps to a Life of Boundless Joy. He is also a Certified NLP Practitioner, speaker, and seminar leader. Among his additional accomplishments, he is the Grand Prix Winner of a Ricoh International Photo Competition, the Canadian National Champion in a Toastmasters International Humorous Speech Contest, and the Founder and Head of the Positive Thinkers Group that has been meeting at St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto since 1999. He was interviewed on CBC's Steven and Chris Show, appearing nationally on Canadian TV. Chuck is a catalyst for change, dedicated to bringing out the best in others and his main home on the web is at: www.personal-development.com.