Look at challenges as stepping stones to positive results

When I was first in college, I had a job at a sandwich shop across the street from California State University, Fullerton. The man who owned the shop was very much a curmudgeon, very grumpy all the time.

Every other day he would say there was too much meat on the sandwiches; there was too little meat on the sandwiches.

One day after his newest diatribe I said, “Do you realize that every day the rolls we use to make the sandwiches are a different size? The bakery is inconsistent when it makes the rolls. Have you ever thought about having us use a scale to measure out the same amount of meat for each sandwich?”

Immediately his negative energy was gone, and the next day we had a scale for weighing.

Isn’t that the way we react to some challenges in our lives? A great amount of negative energy lashes out against the problem instead of taking a breath and considering possible solutions to that problem. One way to phrase that in a more positive light is to look at challenges as stepping-stones to a positive outcome.

Okay, I will admit it, sometimes the problem seems insurmountable.

Often times, I need to remember to say a little prayer, “Spirit, I could use a little help here,” and then wait for an answer.

I have discovered that by the next day the right thought comes to me. What this is, is remembering to have faith.

What is faith? How do you define it?

Martin Luther King once said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

Sometimes all it takes to put a great idea into motion is to take the first step. And to have faith, we must have a conviction that all is well.

We may look at the world around us and see fires, floods and unrest. We may dwell on the insurmountable challenges that face us, or we may know that life unfolds as it should. We may be a catalyst for helping other people, and our planet, evolve into something new; something that resonates with peace, harmony, and powerful positive ideas. Everything that happens— fire, flooding, unrest—all seem to cycle and recycle.

Motivational author Louise Hay wrote in her book, The Power is Within You, “We are in the midst of enormous individual and global change. I believe that all of us who are living at this time chose to be here to be a part of these changes, to bring about change, and to transform the world from the old way of life to a more loving and peaceful experience.”

Regardless of a person’s spiritual belief, they experience the same benefits from having faith—longer lives, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of anxiety and depression.

One important thing we can do to build our faith is to start thinking positive thoughts about ourselves.

So, take that first step: put that great idea into motion, put some conviction into your faith, ask for some divine help when you need it. You can make it to the top of the staircase and beyond.