r By Dr. Cheyn Gunnerson
Have you ever wondered why everything seems to go right for some people? I have, and unless you are someone where everything goes right, then you have too. But one thing I’ve learned is that life is full of ups and downs. Everyone has them. Even those who look like everything is going right have them, because it’s not about whether things aren’t turning out just the way you wanted them to. It’s about your approach and attitude when things don’t go the way you wanted them to.
How you approach problems can make all the difference in whether what you are going through is a problem or an opportunity. I know it’s not always easy. Trust me, I’ve been there. As a business owner and a father, I’ve had my fair share of challenges, from growing my own business to raising a family of five children. But I’ve learned that if I approach problems with a positive attitude and think of them as opportunities for growth, then the problems don’t seem to be as big as I think they are. The more we dwell negatively on a problem, the bigger it gets and the more problems we seem to have, the more things we find going wrong instead of right, and the more overwhelming life seems to become. But the more we look at the positives and learn from the experience and think of every problem as an opportunity for growth, the smaller the problem actually becomes.
Attitude isn’t everything, but it is the difference-maker between success and failure. When we develop a positive view of problems, we want to be around others with the same attitude. Look around you; it’s easy to get caught up in the negativity game. You know what I’m talking about: that game where you get together with friends and compete to see who has the biggest problems. If you have found yourself caught up in that game, then today is the day to change. Start looking for the positive and you’ll find you don’t want to play the negative game anymore. You’ll find that there are so many good things in your life. It will be a life-changer. Look for the positive and before you know it, you’ll start to see it everywhere. You may even be surprised when the next problem comes your way that it’s not a problem but an opportunity.
Dr. Cheyn Gunnerson has been practicing dentistry for 20 years at Gunnerson Dental in Payson. He is also a certified speaker, mentor and life coach with the John Maxwell Team.
