If You Don't Like the Song, Change the Station

      
     Have you ever been driving down the road, windows rolled down, enjoying the breeze, listening to some tunes on the radio when a song that just doesn't fit the mood hits the airwaves? Well I'm guessing it's pretty easy to predict what the majority of us do in such a situation, we reach over to the dash and change the station to something that fits our mood a little better. No since in ruining the mood listening to a song that obviously would just take the mood south. We don't hesitate to change the station when a song comes on we don't like, as a matter of fact, I'm prone to channel surf until I find a song that fits me just right, Goldilocks style. But, in our day to day lives many of us trudge along doing the same old things, hanging out with the same old drag me down acquaintances, or simply complaining about our jobs, or our position in life. It may not be quite as simple as pushing a button on your dash, but if you don't like the song your life is playing then change the station!
     So many times, people spend the majority of their lives complaining about their life's status. They don't like their job, they aren't happy with their housing situation, or possibly it's more personal like a body image matter. Guess what you have the solution right there at the tip of your finger, change it. If you are miserable at your job, actively take the steps it takes to make a career change. If you aren't happy in your home paint it, remodel it, or move. Don't sit around and complain about it bringing everyone else around you down as you go. Say you're not happy with your body image, change it. Exercise, eat healthier, eat less, exercise more, watch T.V. less, walk, run, swim, or get involved in a sport that fits your lifestyle. If you don't like where you are in life right now start reading about people who overcame their own situations in life by taking ownership of their situation and changing it. I'm afraid I'm making it sound too simple, yet to be honest with you it starts right where you currently are and it starts with you making the decision to make a change.
     Someone out there is thinking "Well I just can't change spouses" or "I have so many medical complications and I can't change those". And guess what you are completely correct. There are some things in life we can't or shouldn't change such as our spouse (remember that for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health part??) If you aren't "happy" in your marriage, or if you have a chronic illness and there is no cure in sight then you may feel like a change isn't possible. Let me assure you, change is still right there at your fingertip! You may not be able to change your circumstances in life, but you can most certainly change your attitude about your circumstances in life. You may need to change your attitude from one of being the victim to an attitude of gratitude.
      Life doesn't always give us our choice in that "box of chocolates", thanks Forrest, yet life always provides us with the opportunity to look at things with a whole different attitude and with a completely different perspective. I have made a decision to always look at things from the perspective of "I better be thankful for what I have". When I want to complain about my feet hurting, I remember that I have the ability to walk, which is directly related to the discomfort I might be experiencing with my feet. When I get in L'il Red and it's 95 degrees outside and it's 98 degrees inside my truck I have to remind myself that I just passed some people that were walking down the side of the street with no car to drive, let alone no bed for which to lie their head down on tonight. I have to jog my memory a tad and remember that I have it so much better than a vast majority of the world when it comes to my life. Be reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the church in Rome, "For of Him, and through Him, and for Him are all things; to whom be glory forever." Romans 11:36. We need to remind ourselves that whatever we have, whoever we are, God made us for His purpose. We have to make the choice about who we are and what we are going to do each day. If you don't like the song that's playing, change the station!
Have an amazing week!
Coach Carter