Are you standing in your own sunshine?

Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy, aren’t we? Instead of looking at the positives in our lives, we dwell on the negatives…..or worse, wait around expecting something negative to happen. And then, we can point our fingers and cry, “See, I told you so!” Or, “It’s not my fault!” Or “Look what they did to me!”

So many times we have the uncanny ability of creating our own unhappiness. We’re so quick to take credit for the good happenings in our life, but are reluctant to share the responsibility when things go in the opposite direction.

We’re all responsible for our own attitudes…and behaviors. We are the only ones who can adjust that attitude and determine how we react to situations, circumstances and events. How much of our suffering is cause by the way we approach things? How much happier could we be if we would simply change the way we react?

Ahhh, there’s the rub. This mindset takes the blame for our unhappiness away from the other person, place or thing and puts it firmly in our own two hands.

I must admit, most of the time, my bad mood is a direct result of how I react to someone or something. Now, I know it’s not realistic to go around with a silly, Pollyanna grin on our faces all the time, but it’s really, really hard to look in the mirror and admit our own role in perpetuating the situation, isn’t it?

Sometimes it’s our pride that gets in the way of removing stumbling blocks. Sometimes it’s worry. Sometimes it’s insecurity. Sometimes it’s fear. Most of the time it’s something we don’t want to admit within ourselves. After all, it’s soooo much easier to think something or someone else is the cause of our angst.

Whatever it is, it’s up to us to find our own way out of the shadow and into the light. Because it’s in the shadows where we can’t really see our surroundings clearly. It’s in the shadows where we can’t be seen for what we really are. It’s in the shadows where we stumble and fall over otherwise beneficial pieces of furniture.

We need to be responsible and accountable for our decisions to either remain hidden in the shadows, or take steps to move into the sunshine.

Can you tell it’s Monday? And yes, my mood is a bit shadowy today. Methinks I should probably take my own advice.

Linking up with Qutography