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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SandraDee on June 13, 2002, at 20:02:58
I believe Winston Churchill was where this quote came from.... and the above thread about Depression changing reality made me want to post it because I agree with him!
Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you react to it.
Posted by mair on June 13, 2002, at 20:54:02
In reply to Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you...., posted by SandraDee on June 13, 2002, at 20:02:58
Posted by SandraDee on June 14, 2002, at 0:29:28
In reply to That's a pretty depressing thought (nm) » SandraDee, posted by mair on June 13, 2002, at 20:54:02
Posted by beardedlady on June 14, 2002, at 6:05:48
In reply to Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you...., posted by SandraDee on June 13, 2002, at 20:02:58
Posted by beardedlady on June 14, 2002, at 6:09:06
In reply to That's a pretty depressing thought (nm) » SandraDee, posted by mair on June 13, 2002, at 20:54:02
It almost makes me feel in control of my situations. If I can deal as optimistically as possible with the crap I'm dealt, maybe it won't be such crap!
Churchill's quote is really just a variation on the theme: When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Attitude is everything!
cheery-today beardy : )>
Posted by mair on June 14, 2002, at 16:33:13
In reply to I think it's rather refreshing! » mair, posted by beardedlady on June 14, 2002, at 6:09:06
Beardy
I never much liked the lemonade quote either. I guess what was depressing to me about the Churchill quote is that we talk here all the time about how poorly we react to things - our distortions and misperceptions, and for me anyway, severe overreactions to things others might take very much in stride. So this quote is telling me that 9o% of life rests in an area in which I am at my most incompetent.
You could look at it more positively as "at least these are the types of things we can control," but many of us continually chastise ourselves for not controlling things better.
Just my darkened take.
Mair
Posted by Angel Girl on June 14, 2002, at 16:44:39
In reply to Re: I think it's rather refreshing! » beardedlady, posted by mair on June 14, 2002, at 16:33:13
> I never much liked the lemonade quote either. I guess what was depressing to me about the Churchill quote is that we talk here all the time about how poorly we react to things - our distortions and misperceptions, and for me anyway, severe overreactions to things others might take very much in stride. So this quote is telling me that 9o% of life rests in an area in which I am at my most incompetent.
>
> You could look at it more positively as "at least these are the types of things we can control," but many of us continually chastise ourselves for not controlling things better.
>
> Just my darkened take.
>
> Mair
Seeing as I'm another person who severely over-reacts to what others take in stride, that's EXACTLY how I feel, word for word.Angel Girl
Posted by beardedlady on June 14, 2002, at 17:12:13
In reply to Re: I think it's rather refreshing! » beardedlady, posted by mair on June 14, 2002, at 16:33:13
It's not like I am the possessor of a good attitude, ladies. (And I don't like the lemonade quote, either.) I will take the tiniest thing and let it bother me so much I'm up all night. But I'm learning, with the help of my therapist, to find better ways of coping, and some of that includes a little attitude adjustment. Now I react much less often than I used to. I let a lot more things go. (And don't you hate it when someone tells you to put it in a bubble and pop it?)
My husband and I are completely different. He lets everything roll off his back like water. He can make the best of every situation and is cheerful and well liked. I'd like to be like that, too. So when I begin to assess different situations, I find I'm able to respond more reasonably.
Attitude may not be your strong suit. It's not mine either. But every once in awhile, I find it refreshing to get a reminder that it's time for an attitude adjustment. It pleases me. It's like that card from Jiffy Lube saying it's time for my oil change. (Though I'd much prefer a little lube job.)
Okay, so I'm feeling a little more cheerful than usual.
Smile, girls; Jesus loves you! (I AM JUST KIDDING!) (And I am not making fun of anyone but myself here, as this is what I sound like I should end with, yet it's sooooooo not me to say something like that, got it?) (Sheesh.)
beardy : )>
Posted by SandraDee on June 14, 2002, at 17:48:48
In reply to I think it's rather refreshing! » mair, posted by beardedlady on June 14, 2002, at 6:09:06
I guess I'm also on the positive end of things. I don't have depression near as bad as some of the people on PSB but that's what makes it such a great board. There are those extremes and we can all learn from each other. I'm not one of those perky, had too much coffee, kill her now sort of people... but I try to have those attitude adjustments and I am probably more of a control freak so for me to know I can control my reactions makes me happy hahahahahahaha Although when I deal with my two little ones sometimes I think they have all that control and more.... Without making this too much longer - the other day I snapped at my 11 month old son crawling/walking around my feet in the kitchen and my almost 3 yr old daughter defended him saying, "Mom, he's just a little guy". Snapped me back into remember I can control it if I chose to. But hey, that's just my belief. Oh yea, and Beardy - I know there are a bunch of run-on sentences and tons of stuff wrong in my post... :) Just gives you something to fix/control! tee hee!
Toodles - Just me
Posted by mair on June 15, 2002, at 9:57:53
In reply to The wrong impression--Angel/Mair, posted by beardedlady on June 14, 2002, at 17:12:13
I don't want to pass myself off as the purveyor of darkness. I'm fine with things I know I can't control - it's the ones that I can that get to me. If we go on a trip and the car breaks down, my husband instantly assumes the "why me" mantle of Job. I roll with this type of thing far better because I know that brooding about something that you can't control will make you and everyone around you miserable.
I'm far less likely to overreact to "events" than to personal encounters - a look, a tone of voice, body language, a nasty remark from one of my teenage children. Those events I do overreact to are those that I think are of my own creation - like being overloaded at work, or not getting a bill paid, or a letter mailed.
I'm not sure how this fits into your example.
Mair
Posted by shar on June 16, 2002, at 15:09:36
In reply to Re: The wrong impression--Beardy, posted by mair on June 15, 2002, at 9:57:53
> I don't want to pass myself off as the purveyor of darkness.
That brought a smile to my face...I feel that way at times. However, I believe a lot of darkness is reality in disguise.
Let me add another quote or two. "Your attitude determines your altitude." and, "let a smile be your umbrella."
My reaction to that whole genre of thinking is that if my brain chemicals are messed up, and I have depression as a result, I'm sort of SOL. When the depression is not too bad, I can push it to a back burner some of the time and focus on other things. But, there is a point at which no amount of pushing provides the opportunity to think my way out of it.
Like a bad toothache; when it starts you can focus out of it, but at some point, all you feel is pain.
Shar
> I don't want to pass myself off as the purveyor of darkness. I'm fine with things I know I can't control - it's the ones that I can that get to me. If we go on a trip and the car breaks down, my husband instantly assumes the "why me" mantle of Job. I roll with this type of thing far better because I know that brooding about something that you can't control will make you and everyone around you miserable.
>
> I'm far less likely to overreact to "events" than to personal encounters - a look, a tone of voice, body language, a nasty remark from one of my teenage children. Those events I do overreact to are those that I think are of my own creation - like being overloaded at work, or not getting a bill paid, or a letter mailed.
>
> I'm not sure how this fits into your example.
>
> Mair
This is the end of the thread.
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