Having the right attitude

Don’t you hate it when you get all excited about something and it doesn’t live up to your expectations?

It’s happened to everyone. Your planning on something or someone and bang, like a bucket of cold water it dumps on you and you realize, “I was looking forward to that?”. I don’t think there’s one area where it happens more often. It could be pretty much anything. Seeing a band, a new job, a date, a party, your new pair of shoes, a dinner, a vacation…..yada, yada, yada….

Pessimists might have the right idea. They don’t get excited about anything and are expecting the worst out of any situation. On the plus side they’re never disappointed when things don’t work out. How can they be, they already prepared for the worst. But being pessimists they’re not that willing to enjoy themselves when things start going good. In the back of their mind they’re still expecting things to take a dramatic turn for the worse.

Optimists are a total enigma to me. I have never understood how certain people can always be so cheerful. It could be the worst situation imaginable and it doesn’t shake their sunny demeanor. They’re car could break down on the side of the road, no one stopping to help, having to walk miles to a gas station, in the rain and they would say to themselves, “gee this is great exercise”. Wish I had whatever they’re taking.

So I think the best thing to do is take a more neutral attitude. It’s ok to look forward to something, but try not to get your expectations so high that it would be near impossible to live up to what you imagined. Come on let’s face it…it will probably turn out lousy anyway. Oops there’s that pessimistic attitude of mine. I really have to remember to keep that in check.