During our nursing career and in life there are times when we all experience tough times, stresses in work and family. One problem after another pops up. You are tired and struggling not sure you are going to make it and sometimes want to give up. We have all been there a few times, maybe more than you would care to admit. The question is when this type of adversity strikes, how do you respond?
I want to tell you the story of a carrot, an egg, and a coffee bean. Boil three pots of water place a carrot in one, an egg in another, and a coffee bean in the last one. After twenty minutes what do you think happened to the carrot, the egg, and the coffee bean? The carrot went in strong and hard but after being exposed to the environment, boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg goes into the pot fragile, with a thin outer shell protecting the liquid interior. The condition of the environment, boiling water, causes the egg to harden. Sadly, this happens to a lot of people when they are exposed to difficult environments. They become mean, angry, negative, and even numb. They lose the desire to love and be loved and their heart hardens. The coffee beans, however, had a very different result. After being placed in boiling water, it transformed the water into coffee. Has this story changed your mindset? Life is like that pot of boiling water. When hardship and stresses knock on your door, how will you react? Will you be the carrot, the egg or the coffee bean? Will you be the carrot that believes the power and influences outside are stronger than who you are on the inside and lose strength? Will you be the egg with a soft heart that becomes hard and stiff as a result of the negative environment? Or will you be the coffee bean, not allowing the outside environment to impact you, choosing to overcome challenges and change the world from the inside out? When we start to understand that we are no longer victims of the environment, and realize the power we possess to overcome and transform, we can become change agents.
Remember the world is created from the inside out, not outside in. Our experiences and perceptions are shaped by our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. Live from the inside out, disconnect from the pressure and stresses of the outside world, and reconnect with your inner self. Be the Coffee Bean!
