Be Still. Be Free. Be Content.

What makes people, who seemingly have nothing, happy and those who seem to have everything, unhappy? The answer occurred to me during a recent conversation. It’s really just a matter of perspective. How we perceive our situation determines our level of contentment. My brother, Chad, was a great example of this [read his story here]. He may never have been married, or formally educated, or been a strong athlete, or had a successful career – but he had so much more. 

Chad was disabled and lacked mobility. He never had a formal education and never even stepped foot into a job interview or received a paycheck, but Chad’s perspective was inspiring nonetheless. He learned about life by getting knocked down time-and-time again, but he refused to stay down. He was a great athlete in his own way and lived vicariously through Pudge Rodriquez, Steve Yzerman and Barry Sanders. He also bowled with a 121 average. Most of us would be lucky to have a score like that for bowling. For a career, Chad worked five days a week at CNC National Enterprises. The first “C” in the organization’s name stood for “Chad,” and during his tenure, he recycled more than 2-million pounds of cardboard. He also captured the community’s admiration and respect for his environmental initiatives and inspired countless people with his determination to succeed.  

Chad’s situation is not unique. With the right perspective, we can all see that we have opportunities to live a happy and fulfilled life. So, next time you are feeling down about your situation, instead try to have gratitude for all the wonderful things you do have. This shift in perspective just may make all the difference.