You must have heard the saying countless times, the one about that cup, the cup that is either half empty or half full. This neatly sums up the attitude of the two kinds of people that we are all very familiar with – the optimist and the pessimist.
I recently went hiking in the Fish River Canyon in Namibia with a group of friends. On hikes such as this one, my pet peeve is to observe group dynamics. True to my philosophy, everyone in the group duly sorted themselves into either of these categories, even before the first kilometer mark was passed. Just like the proverbial cup, everyone hiked the same trail – 94 kilometers of rough terrain, a backpack of approximately 20 kilograms to lug along, grueling mountain ascents, sandstorms stinging every square inch of exposed skin, blisters that made us all hobble along painfully and the merciless heat of a desert sun. Added to this mix were the crackling campfires and the fireside jokes, the bright expanse of stars at night, the breathtaking vistas, the blissful swims in cool mountain pools and, afterwards, the sublime feeling of accomplishment. And whilst the optimists testified about their most wonderful experiences, the pessimists complained about everything that disrupted the comfort they were used to. This made me wonder - what causes these different reactions to a similar experience?
I believe it is the glasses you put on! Their lenses can paint everything in a rosy hue, or they can block out the sun. We all know that life is full of challenges, that is a given. Our reaction is the deciding factor that separates the whiners from the shiners. Not only do challenges serve to separate the wheat from the chaff, but it is also the fertile soil wherein great leaders grow. Great leaders are those individuals that see difficult situations as opportunities for brilliant solutions to be discovered, those individuals who choose to change their current situation for the better, rather than complaining about it. In the current challenging times South Africa, and especially us women, are facing, it is vital that we change our mindset to a positive one. Despite our circumstances, we have the power to choose a positive and enthusiastic outlook on life. Whether your life here, in South Africa, is horrible or wonderful depends on a choice you make every day. If you choose wonderful... well, that is where change for the better is born.
28 August 2017
- Melissa Koch, TRWLA Director
I recently went hiking in the Fish River Canyon in Namibia with a group of friends. On hikes such as this one, my pet peeve is to observe group dynamics. True to my philosophy, everyone in the group duly sorted themselves into either of these categories, even before the first kilometer mark was passed. Just like the proverbial cup, everyone hiked the same trail – 94 kilometers of rough terrain, a backpack of approximately 20 kilograms to lug along, grueling mountain ascents, sandstorms stinging every square inch of exposed skin, blisters that made us all hobble along painfully and the merciless heat of a desert sun. Added to this mix were the crackling campfires and the fireside jokes, the bright expanse of stars at night, the breathtaking vistas, the blissful swims in cool mountain pools and, afterwards, the sublime feeling of accomplishment. And whilst the optimists testified about their most wonderful experiences, the pessimists complained about everything that disrupted the comfort they were used to. This made me wonder - what causes these different reactions to a similar experience?
I believe it is the glasses you put on! Their lenses can paint everything in a rosy hue, or they can block out the sun. We all know that life is full of challenges, that is a given. Our reaction is the deciding factor that separates the whiners from the shiners. Not only do challenges serve to separate the wheat from the chaff, but it is also the fertile soil wherein great leaders grow. Great leaders are those individuals that see difficult situations as opportunities for brilliant solutions to be discovered, those individuals who choose to change their current situation for the better, rather than complaining about it. In the current challenging times South Africa, and especially us women, are facing, it is vital that we change our mindset to a positive one. Despite our circumstances, we have the power to choose a positive and enthusiastic outlook on life. Whether your life here, in South Africa, is horrible or wonderful depends on a choice you make every day. If you choose wonderful... well, that is where change for the better is born.
28 August 2017
- Melissa Koch, TRWLA Director
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