"The great thing about this is..."
I use this phrase every time I catch myself complaining, feeling frustrated, or wallowing in self-pity. It’s not always easy to say—especially in the middle of something difficult—but I make myself finish the sentence.
Why? Because it forces me to shift my focus, even for a moment, from what’s going wrong to what’s going right. It’s my way of searching for the lesson, or reassurance, or options for the best path forward, or even the smallest spark of gratitude in a hard situation.
When I was a kid I watched the movie Pollyanna ten times. In the movie, Pollyanna plays The Glad Game. She's a little girl who finds things to be glad about even when life doesn't end up the way life is supposed to be. That movie, made in 1960, impacted me and still does to this day.
Here’s the truth: staying positive isn’t about pretending life is perfect—it’s about having control over something when things don't go as planned. You can control what you say to yourself and others. Playing The Glad Game helps in everyday situations too. For example: If I'm in a traffic jam, "THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS IS... I have time to listen to a podcast or call my sister to chat."
I’m sharing this because it’s a simple mindset shift that has helped me as a coach, a business owner, and a parent navigating life’s peaks and valleys. When I go through difficult chapters in my life, I look for a purpose, something positive that could come out of it in the future. I believe that every pain can have a purpose for something good in the future, even if it's just to show us how resilient we are.
Try it for yourself. The next time you’re about to complain, pause and say:
“The great thing about that is…”
Then, finish the sentence.
It may not change the situation, but it can absolutely change the way you feel about it, which impacts what you do and how you interact with people the rest of the day. You might just end up smiling.
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