Learn to Love It!

I do actually enjoy the concept of going to school. I love learning about the world around me, feeling smart and being well-rounded. However, when you go to college, for some reason, you are forced to take classes that have nothing to do with your major. For me, it always felt like a huge waste of my time and money because when I didn't enjoy the subjects that I was forced to take, it just took the wind out of my sails, you know? This pretty much sums up how I've been feeling about being forced to take anthropology.

However, a few years ago, I met someone that has had a very strong influence in my life. He was able to change my negativity about those classes with a simple phrase, "Learn to love it." It was so simple, yet so powerful.

Basically, it meant that if you dwell on things that you can't change and keep a negative attitude about them, you would end up making yourself more miserable than you already were. So by finding some way to make whatever you were doing better, it enabled you to be happier, which ends up having profound effects on your life.

Now I won't disclose this person's name, so let's just call him C.B. (He'll understand what that means :)) C.B. is someone that is always there when my family needs him, day or night and always has the best advice, no matter what the situation is. C.B. is definitely someone that I consider a mentor, a friend and a gift in my family's life. So when he gives me advice, I take it.

Normally, I'm really good about making sure that I keep a positive outlook on life, including the things that I cannot change. However, with my husband being away and going to a new school, it's been more difficult. But yesterday, my friend was complaining about one of her classes and I said, "Learn to love it" right away. I didn't even have time to think before I spoke; I simply reacted.

It really put things into perspective for me. I remembered that C.B. had given me that advice all those years ago and that he had never steered me wrong before. So this weekend, I'm going to be doing tons of studying for my upcoming anthropology test on Tuesday but now, I've got it in my head that instead of it being an inconvenience or a waste of my time, it's an adventure. It's a chance to learn something new and better my life and mind. So thank you, C.B. Even though it's been a while since I've seen you, you still make a difference in my daily life and I can never thank you enough for that.