I get knocked down, but I get up again.
Even today, it awakens something inside me when I watch Braveheart. I still get goosebumps when Rocky throws the knock-out punch to Apollo Creed. Who doesn't love a story where the underdog wins, or the fallen hero rises? It is that attitude! It's not an ugly, haughty attitude, it's a beautiful thing. It's an attitude that takes a stand. I call it the Adversity Attitude.
It's an attitude that says give me your best shot. I will take it on the chin. I am going to get up, I am going to overcome this. This will not keep me off my feet.
We are so often overwhelmed by our situations, our circumstances. There's a saying: "You are a product of your circumstances". And that's true. But we are also products of our choices, our decisions, our attitude. You can't govern what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it.
I have a sister. She's the most wonderful person that I know. She has the most beautiful, gentle heart and has the capacity to only see the good in other people. She gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. Silly things make her giggle and she is innocent-naive. Her first thought about people is always pure. She is 29 years old, married and serves with her entire existence. Looking at her, you might think she has it so easy. She has the big blue eyes, wavy blonde hair, the personality, the looks - almost like she was born with the golden spoon.
She has been my sister for 22 years. My parents adopted her when she was 7, rescued her from a Dad who hurt out of his hurt, a Mom who could no longer take it and took her own life. Orphanage, satanism, violence, substance abuse, rape, mental disorders and depression. Not exactly the recipe for a healthy, innocent blue-eyed girl ... Not precisely the ingredients that produces a happy, balanced adult. But my Sister made a choice. She got up, she didn't sit on the bench and pity herself. She put her victim mentality in her bag, lifted her head and decided: this won't define me. My circumstances will not hold me captive for the rest of my life.
She took this package called her life by the shoulders, shook it, added a bit of that precious adversity attitude, looked life full in the eye and said, THIS WILL NOT BE MY IDENTITY. This will not be the way my story ends.
You, reading this… No matter what you face today, no matter how deep that pit of despair looks. No matter what happened in your past or how bleak the future might seem. No matter how many mistakes you have made or what curve ball life is throwing at you. You can choose your attitude. You can choose your reaction. And only you can choose how tomorrow will differ from today.
Nothing is more empowering than someone who can take that lemon life throws at them and make the sweetest lemonade ever!Only you have the power to choose to break the vicious cycle of, whatever.