Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Secret of Never Losing


As we grow in life, there are some truths that we should learn and accept.  One such truth is that you will, from time to time, face disappointments.  Sadly, this is one of the truths so many people just cannot seem to grab hold of.  Their lives are unhappy and often bitter because each time they are disappointed they act like it is the first.  What makes this even harder is that you will find another truth at work here.  The more you allow disappointments to upset you the more disappointments you will face.

                Scouting teaches that you may not always win, however, you never give up. Disappointment is only powerful when it causes you to quit. There is much competition in Scouting. Scouts compete in games and many other challenges. They learn several important lessons from this. 1) You cannot always win, but you can always do your best. 2) You celebrate with those who do win and encourage those who do not. 3) You keep doing your best till you do win. You will never know what you can do until you do it.

                No one likes to be disappointed.  No one likes to lose or to have things they treasure, be that material things or even people, taken from them.  So how do we face the reality of disappointment and not allow it to overtake us?  I have three things we can do that will reduce the feeling of disappointment and loss and replace it with strength and joy.  These three are all wrapped up in the same word, Gratitude.

“Don't cry because it's over.  Smile because it happened.”
– Dr. Seuss
(1904-1991) Author

1)  Be grateful for what you had
                It is one thing to love and cherish the thing and people you have in your life.  It is another to be grateful for them.  Gratitude appreciates all that we have and does not claim it as our own.  Scouts must learn that all things in life are only on loan to us and some of those things are true gifts.  These gifts make us happy and fill us with a sense of thankfulness that we have been blessed at this time.  Once they are gone, we can look back with happiness and gratitude that we were, even for a short time, allowed to be blessed in such a wonderful way.

2)  Be grateful for what you have
                People who do not understand the principle of a grateful heart will be filled with fear.  When some things or even some people are placed in our lives, rather than enjoying them we fear they will go away or be taken away.  That fear causes tension and hurt and what should be a wonderful experience is taken from us.  This is what I meant when I said that people who allow disappointment in their life will only experience more disappointment. If you cannot appreciate the moment you will always be looking for something else.

3)  Be grateful for what is to come
                Once a person has been able to develop a grateful heart for what they have had and what they have now, they will be grateful knowing that more is to come.  Experience teaches us so very much.  The one who believes that everything they love may be taken away, will, in fact, lose what they have.  Likewise, the person who is grateful for what they have while they have it will gain more.  It is that old self-fulfilling prophecy.  What you believe will come about.

                Scouts come to understand that life has many great and wondrous things in store for them. Each day offers something better than the day before. They are grateful for the opportunity to experience all that God has prepared for them and they face the future with excitement.

                You matter!  You matter to the world and to yourself.  Remember to be your best, love God, have good manners, achieve the unknown and change your world.
Scouting Out of Uniform is a personal blog based on the lessons learned from Scouting that relate to personal development and success principles and is not an official site of The Boy Scouts of America. John Patrick Hickey does not represent or speak for the Scouting program; however, he does completely support and encourages Scouting for both young and old. John Patrick Hickey is an author, speaker, Personal Development Coach, and proud Scouter. To read more from John Patrick Hickey or to get his books, training and book him to speak to your church, business or group, visit our website at www.johnpatrickhickey.com.   © 2019 John Patrick Hickey

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