For the last year, every single person has been besieged by PROBLEMS. Covid-19 sparked problems for every single living human. Whether through sickness and death, the loss of a job, isolation from loved ones, or navigating virtual work and education – at the same time - the higher volume of PROBLEMS left no one untouched. Now, add to the mix a racial awakening and a presidential election and it is pretty obvious the last 365 days could go down on record as the most stressful, problem-filled time-period ever.
I fashion myself as a pretty positive guy. I try to see the upside of things, and I like to think that I understand PROBLEMS are part of everyone's experience on earth. However, this year I have to admit that I have been mentally overwhelmed by the continual surge of PROBLEMS. I have worried about family members, colleagues, and my children. I have felt my focus drawn to un-ending scrolls through social media triggering off rage, sadness, and worry. The PROBLEMS invade my conscious and subconscious mind, and I feel the stress pressing in from every direction. This anxiety level is a new occurrence for me. As I mentioned, I typically focus on the temporary nature of most problems. But, with no real end in sight and an inability to exert any level of control on Covid related restrictions, I have been wallowing in self-pity, self-doubt, and sorrow.
So, last Saturday, I went to my local YMCA for a work-out. I was running and worrying. I was lifting and stressing. Usually, exercise acts as stress relief, but this morning my focus remained on my own PROBLEMS. Then, it happened. My PERSPECTIVE changed.
I noticed a woman in her late 50's come into the fitness area using a walker. Every step was labored. Walking would not accurately describe her mode of progress. It would be better described as a dragging motion. She was dragging herself along, only moving 8 to 10 inches at a step. I watched her struggle to get into the exercise equipment, and then she labored to even place her fragile limbs into the proper position to perform the movement. Then, when she finally got positioned to do the exercise, she barely moved at all. I watched her sit on a leg curl machine that is meant to strengthen your quads with a full range of motion of 45 degrees, and she moved the device 5 degrees at the most. There was no weight added to the machine, but she performed her reps with all the focus and determination required to lift 200 pounds. She then painstakingly moved off the leg curl machine and headed to the next machine. I watched her for 20 minutes move from piece to piece, struggling the entire time. She never had the full range of motion. She never had any weight on the machine, but she continued to move through her routine.
As I finished my work-out, I felt inspired to tell her how impactful her efforts had been on my morning. Here I was, a fully-abled man, consumed with my problems while the woman across from me struggled to walk in the door. I approached her and shared that her presence that morning had been an inspiration, and I wanted to let her know how impressed I was with her drive and determination. I asked her what inspires her to keep going. She commented that she believes she has a purpose and that stopping, quitting, or complaining keep her from that purpose. She admitted she has days when she is depressed or questions her own existence, but she believes God put her on this planet for a purpose. She then threw her logic in my face. She said, "Look, I inspired you this morning. Maybe because you saw me struggle, you don't focus as much on your struggles. Maybe you spend the rest of the day thankfully at peace, so then my purpose was accomplished."
I asked her what her secret is to stay positive. She said that the key to overcoming any problem is your PERSPECTIVE. She explained that she had been cripple from birth and that the positive, purpose-driven person before me was not always how she viewed life. The key to her attitude was PERSPECTIVE. She remembers that someone always has it worse than her and that she has a remarkable life. She has a loving husband, three kids and the fact that she is alive is a miracle. She has a deep Christian faith and believes God uses her every day to inspire others. When she views her life from a PERSPECTIVE of thankfulness, she can't be focused on her problems. It doesn't mean she is perfect, but what always keeps her out of the depths of depression is the ability to change her PERSPECTIVE. It re-ignites her purpose and allows her to focus on the right things, not on her challenges.
So in a year of so many problems, my experience at the gym served as a good reminder of the importance of PERSPECTIVE. I have been so focused on my PROBLEMS that I have missed many of the positive things right in front of my face. We all have problems, but my new friend at the gym reminded me that the key is to change your PERSPECTIVE, adjusting your focus, and ultimately pushing you through your current situation. Be intentional about a purposeful PERSPECTIVE; it can make all the difference in the world.