Last night it was about 5 below zero in the Chicagoland area.  I was home and comfy with my dog and a soft white blanket and I wanted to stay there.  Unfortunately I had committed to giving a talk to a Chadd  (support group for ADHD) group about managing anxiety at 7 p.m. at a suburban library that was about a half an hour from my home.  I was sure that no one was going to attend and I even emailed the organizer to confirm.  Normally I love talks like these but I was in a nasty mood as I put on my five layers of clothes and left my warm house.

About half way there I remembered my promise to myself to make an attitude adjustment in cases like this so that I didn’t walk into the room with a nasty scowl on my face.  The way I change my attitude is to commit to looking for something good in the situation, to find what seems to be the reason that I needed to be there, and how my presence there might benefit someone else.  It wasn’t an easy sell because I was sure absolutely no one would show.

At 6:55 there was no one at the event and my mood was getting nastier.  At 7:01, however, about 20 people poured into the room with smiles on their faces despite the freezing temperatures.  They were so warm, friendly, and excited to be there.  I started to feel like Mr. Grinch with my cold hard heart beginning to melt.  I was only scheduled to talk for about an hour but the conversation was so lively and supportive that I ended up staying until 9 p.m.

Those people needed me and I needed them.  They needed my expertise and understanding of their situation and I needed them for the reminder that when we come together and hear each other we all grow and become better.  I left the library filled with happiness and barely noticing the arctic blast as I walked out the door.  I need to remind myself of this night for all future dreaded events.  Almost always there is some good to be found if we just open up to look for it.

Love,

Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC