I truly believe that adversities can be viewed as blessings when seen from new perspectives. During my second trip to appear on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW, in the hotel I was staying, the money from my wallet was stolen. I remember having a “freak out” moment. It was only hours before I was to be picked up to go to the studios and there I was having feelings of confusion and anger over what had happened. I knew that I needed to be at my best for the day. It was the big season finale and one deserving couple was to be awarded a MILLION DOLLAR WEDDING GIVEAWAY based partially upon my assessment of the couple. To be at my optimal best, I needed some help in shifting my perspective and finding the blessing. I called my coach on the phone and he walked me through all of the necessary questions to be able to turn my feelings around and see the adverse situation from a perspective that not only brought a smile to my face, but in an interesting way, made me grateful for the event. Long story short, I went on to have one of the best television appearances of my life that day at HARPO STUDIOS. The details of this story can be found in my book, WHO ARE YOU CHOOSING TO BE?
Sometimes when we are in the middle of adverse circumstances it can be challenging to find the blessings, but with a little help and some well-intentioned questions, it is possible. Think about a situation in your own life where the memory of an event causes you pain. Ask yourself, “What is the blessing?” and see if any new perspectives come up for you. If you need some help with this, you can always do the exercise in Chapter 5 of my book or simply ask a close friend to help you see the good that can come from the otherwise “unfortunate” situation. Finding the blessing is always possible. It simply takes a willingness to do so and the patience for the answer to arrive.
With blessings,
Mark Edgar Stephens
Mark Edgar Stephens' Inspiration Blog 