Outlook 2009

No, I’m not talking about the Microsoft product. I’m talking about the outlook on life. This is not going to be some self help gooble gobble or any such nonsense, just some insights that I have found in my own life and I thought I would share in hopes others have had the same or similar experiences.

I have found recently that my outlook on life has changed for the better. In the past I was a very inverted person and rarely spoke to anyone unless they were family or close friends. I suppose you would have called me stand offish, moody or just plain unfriendly. Rarely did I smile and instead kept to myself and my own thoughts which were usually focused on the negative aspects of my life such as bills, health family matters or other things.

Late last year I took a rather large step and moved back to my childhood home of Chattanooga, TN. Leaving my job and my home in South Mississippi for over 20 years was not easy, but I was determined to go “home.” It took me almost a year to finally make the decision to move and I was scared to death. Would I find a job? Would I find a place to live? Could I do this?

Luckily, I was able to find a job before I even left Mississippi with T-Mobile doing much the same job i was doing for AT&T. A place to live fell in my lap when I got here from family that worked as maintenance in the apartment complex.

I think it was then that my outlook on life changed. I was no longer angry all the time. All of the sudden I had a feeling of being reborn in a way. I was starting to initiate conversation and pushing people to talk back. I am even volunteering at the Tennessee Aquarium as a Docent.

What was it that changed my outlook though? I have spent the last several weeks trying to determine when the change occurred. I found that it was a number of things. Being back in my childhood home was a big part of it I think, along with my new job. I have never, ever worked for a place that takes care of their employees so well. The atmosphere at work is so good and laid back it’s amazing. Rarely do I ever see anyone not smiling and glad to be there. I keep waiting for the “other shoe” to drop and after almost a year it has yet to happen. The ability to go have a couple of beers with my father once or twice a week and discuss things with him that I never would have when I was 17 and left to go to Mississippi is huge. I see changes in him that i would have never believed if I hadn’t seen it myself. As a retired Marine he has always been very strict and kept to himself. Not anymore. The ability to be around my family is also a huge plus. I get to see my nephews grow up and be with them on holidays.

While I still have problems like anyone else. bills, health, etc, I find that I don’t dwell on them anymore. I focus more on what fun I will have the next day, what I can do to make myself and others fell good. Maybe this is a phase and I am still in a sort of shock of being back home but I hope it is permanent.

What is your outlook on life? Do you dwell on things you can not control or do you let it roll off your back? What leap of faith have you taken in your life and how did it work out for you? I found that taking a chance and just doing what you really want to do has a huge positive effect on your outlook. What do you think?