When I flipped my calendar over to the new month, the following saying by Vivian Greene appeared at the top: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
How appropriate this saying is to the times we’re living in?
Anytime there’s a problem or a challenge, we have a cabillion ways we can respond.
We can tackle the situation head on, ignore it, deny it, look at all the facts and devise a plan or solution, or we can dance in the rain and not respond in a knee-jerk way.
A person who can dance in the rain has learned not to allow circumstances to upset or deter them from their goals and happiness. They don’t wait for bad things in their life to go away. Instead, they have a positive attitude and take challenges head on and enjoy the journey. Not all problems or uncomfortable situations will go away or they may not go away as soon as we’d like them to. So, what are you going to do? It’s sad when being miserable, especially in the long term, is what some people chose over learning to dance in the rain.
How we are conditioned to respond is often a result of our upbringing or a result of fear. Often that conditioning is a hasty response without fully considering the situation and any and all possible responses.
When things are upsetting either in the immediate moment or in the long-term, do you feel like you are waiting for the storm to pass or learning to dance in the rain?
If you grew up in a dysfunctional home or in a home with a scared, single parent, where myriad problems of everyday life were prevalent, you might be trained to see every problem or uncomfortable situation or every life change as traumatic. You might not be able to avoid a harsh knee-jerk response or not be able to detach slightly and dance in the rain. Fear is your ingrained response.
Personally, I often experience a knee-jerk reaction to problems because I grew up in a household where I felt like a bother rather than a welcomed family member. I trained myself to be hypervigilant to solving any problems quickly in order to get praise rather than disinterest. I had to be the solver. At the very least, I felt the need to not exacerbate the situation or problem by expressing my emotions. But, over the years, I have learned to let go a little and not identify my value based on how quickly I could jump in and solve problems.
I’ve learned to see that not all problems are my problems to solve. I learned to forget the storm and dance in the rain. I have learned to identify what issues are mine to deal with and let go of the rest, which won’t consume me or control my happiness. If the problem is indeed mine, I ask myself what the worst that can happen is. Often, that worst is farfetched, or mostly manageable.
Dancing in the rain may be the pause we all could use before responding to any difficult circumstance. I’m keeping my galoshes ready, just in case.
Sing to the top of your lungs, play practical jokes on your friends.
Smile even if you feel like crying. Always look for a silver lining.
I can find good in the worst of situations. You want to dance ???
“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness, has never danced in the rain. “
Update: I have been happily married since July 2, 2019. I have my nursing career back. I published my first book Nov. 3rd, 2019. WHAT NURSES DON’T TELL. I have a volume 2 and my publication date is March 16th, 2020. My third book: “Shattered “ subtitle: Restored by God’s Grace. It will be published in 2020. Writing has been the single most healing thing I have done in my recovery. My stories are touching alot of lives. I give God all the praise and glory. I am just a vessel for him.
[Learn to Dance in the Rain by Andrew Jenkins]