Coping with life

We've just entered March and this morning when I got up there was glorious sunshine and the birds were singing.  Dare I say, a hint of spring was in the air...I was just wishing it would come down to ground level.  By mid-day there were snow flurries, and as I write this gloomy grey has returned to permeate everything.

It's a time of year when our moods could go either way, looking forward to the snow melting and the flowers blooming, or feeling as if this blasted winter will never end.  Are you the type that sees the glass as half full or half empty?

I'm reading a book which is an "oldie but a goodie", called Emotional Intellilgence (from 2005).  Although I'm just getting into it, the stories I've read so far which illustrate the connections between our emotions, our thoughts and our actions are startling.  A young boy interprets an accidental bump in the school yard as an intentional shove with disastrous, violent results.  The incident itself is neutral--how it is translated into emotion, followed by thought, followed by action is, in extreme cases, the difference between life and death.

On a day-to-day basis we experience neutral incidents, and its how we process and act on them that dictates whether we have a "good day" or a "bad day".  If we can just learn to slow down during the time when our thoughts lead to our actions, life could be a bit kinder and gentler for everyone. 

Some people experience life-altering accidents and come through them stronger, embracing their new circumstances.  Others can't cope and spiral downward into despair.  I'm beginning to think that this "emotional intelligence" stuff is what makes the difference.  I'll let you know when I've read more...in the meantime, if you have thoughts on the subject, feel free to post.