We Need To Get Very Good At Making Lemonade

This post may be trite, but, as I see life, it’s about an essential SKILL that needs to be practiced and honed, constantly, daily, in all the little and big occasions where something is going on that, on the surface, appears less than ideal.

We need to remember how lemonade is made.

Lemonade is made by taking this sour little fruit and adding a bit of sugar and water and maybe some ice, and then you turn it into something that you end up liking.

To me, life is full of lemons. The lemon could be:

A longer than desirable ride to work.
Getting stuck in traffic.
An unpleasant co-worker.
A less than ideal job.
More bills than money.
Irritation with what someone is doing.
Frustration with lack of good results with some goal.
Not knowing what to do about some problem.
Being seemingly too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, too old, too young.
Being untalented or uneducated.
Seemingly being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The toilet breaks.
A sink full of dishes.
Not being able to get the help you need or want with something.
Someone says ‘no’ when you wanted them to say ‘yes.’
Feeling anxious, worried or afraid.
Illness.
Not being able to afford something you want.
Feeling inadequate.
The list is endless, yes?

Another thing about lemons. Sometimes you’ll use a little juice from it on your salad or fish, or in some tea. I’ve heard there is even a way to use lemon juice to get rid of stains. Also, a little lemon smell is kind of nice in soaps. I mention this so you become more aware that you don’t JUST have to settle with lemonade. Sometimes there are multiple good solutions to things.

This is just a simple little message. But can’t you see how valid it is? And how often we don’t apply it, when we have plenty of OPPORTUNITIES for it?

Do you know, some people get rich turning ‘lemons into lemonade’?

Every little useful invention was someone dealing with a lemon of some kind, and making lemonade.

Think, for example, of the intermittent windshield wipers on practically all cars nowdays. Someone thought, “It sure would be nice if the wipers just automatically wiped slower when it is only sprinkling.”

What are your lemons? I would guess that there is SOMEONE somewhere who has turned that lemon into lemonade. What do you think?

As has been said (by Shakespeare, I think) “Nothing is good or bad but that thinking makes it so.”

It’s also been said, “Everything happens for a reason.” I believe the reason so-called unwanted things happen is, somehow we are being given some kind of opportunity. And if our only response is to see ‘it’ as something that is only ‘bad’ we miss out. We lose the good, the opportunity, the chance to advance.

So, what are your lemons? Let’s hear about them. I imagine if you’ve got a lemon, someone here might have a way of turning it into lemonade. Or, someone’s heard a story of how someone has turned that lemon into lemonade. There’s probably even a story of someone getting RICH from your lemon.

“Every adveristy contains within it the seed of an equal or greater opportunity.” W. Clement Stone

Phil

My “take” on the subject :

1. A longer than desirable ride to work.

Ideal time to catch up with some music or practice my CMI

2. Getting stuck in traffic.

Ideal time to meditate, practice my CMI or plan my work.

3. An unpleasant co-worker.

Just the person I don’t want to be – so I will be just the opposite.

4. A less than ideal job.

Time to make a snazzy resume.

5. More bills than money.

More impetus to get out of the situation.

6. Irritation with what someone is doing.

Time to go for a walk !!!!

7. Frustration with lack of good results with some goal.

Change the goal … or change the method being used to accomplish it.

8. Not knowing what to do about some problem.

Get advise.

9. Being seemingly too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, too old, too young.

Hang around with someone shorter, taller, fatter, thinner, older or younger.

10. Being untalented or uneducated.

Come on ! There is always someone worse than us !!!!

11. Seemingly being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ouch !!! The timing sucks – don’t know a cure for this !!!

12. The toilet breaks.

Wow ! This can happen only once in a life time I hope !

13. A sink full of dishes.

Time to get to work – dishwashing is an ideal time to sing your favorite songs – and if any one objects to off-key singing invite them to do the darn dishes.

14. Not being able to get the help you need or want with something.

Hmmm – that is what SOGR is for.

15. Someone says ‘no’ when you wanted them to say ‘yes.’

Get up, dust the trousers and ask nicely in a better phrased way. Alternatively ask someone else.

16. Feeling anxious, worried or afraid.

I have found that good movies, a good long walk, or playing with children always gets me out of that mood.

17. Illness.

Nothing is permanent and this too shall pass.

18. Not being able to afford something you want.

This is something which is governed by time – we cant afford something we really want like the latest plasma t.v. right now, but it will come soon.

19. Feeling inadequate.

Talk to your dog, or the person who loves you – their confidence in you is absolutely infectious. Makes you feel on the top of the world.


Ritu

quote:

Originally posted by SterlingRitu:
My “take” on the subject :

11. Seemingly being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ouch !!! The timing sucks – don’t know a cure for this !!!

Ritu,

I might have read on this forum once or twice (or 643 times ) that if that's what you focus on, that is what you will get...

There is no 'wrong place and wrong time'! It is exactly where you are supposed to be right now.

Stop resisting, recognize the opportunity and deal with it as if you are already... ehm...I mean: SINCE you are already the person that can deal with it effectively!

You're so capable; I admire you a lot!

Lucky,
To think what you WANT to think is to think TRUTH!

quote:

Originally posted by SterlingRitu:
3. An unpleasant co-worker.

Just the person I don’t want to be – so I will be just the opposite.

Ritu, I have learned that an unpleasant person can also be a mirror for something that I really want to change in myself.

Caroline

Thank you Phil. What a wonderful posting - a real inspiration to read!

I didn't have to look far to find my "lemons"! I can hear them right now as I type in the form of my neighbours! They are loud, selfish, rude and impossible to get along with. I've tried to be nice to them, but all in vain - they seem to thrive on confrontation, as every other surrounding neighbour would testify, particularly the 94 year old lady who lives at the other side of them, who has been psychologically bullied by them until she can hardly set foot out of her house! You can't reason with these people, or be nice to them, so it's best to ignore them, even though that's hard to do at times.

So how can I make this bitter situation into sweet 'lemonade'? Well, I can appreciate how their turning up has been a catalyst for us wanting to move to a nicer home and I can be thankful that they are helping me to focus on my CMI. I'm grateful for the new home that is my CMI and for the fact that when we move there I'll appreciate it so very very much.

The bitterness of these particular 'lemons' will ensure I make the 'lemonade' SO sweet!!

Hope that makes sense, and thank you again Phil for an uplifting and inspiring message!

Excellent post Phil! Thanks much!

Often thoughout the course of the day or week I am often "broadsided" by people I deal with in business with "problems" Ours is a very deadline oriented business and quick decisions have to be made and acted on. In the last few months, during one of these "problem" conversations on the phone with people I will suddenly start making "squishing" sounds. They stop mid-sentence and ask, "What ARE you doing?" I reply, "Squeezing lemons!" They laugh because they instantly get it! It breaks the "serious" pattern of the conversation and we all laugh...suddenly the answer we need comes to us!

Love the post, Phil! It's an excellent reminder to always keep squeezing those lemons and get ready for some great stuff (lemondade)

Michael M.

quote:

I didn't have to look far to find my "lemons"! I can hear them right now as I type in the form of my neighbours! They are loud, selfish, rude and impossible to get along with. I've tried to be nice to them, but all in vain - they seem to thrive on confrontation, as every other surrounding neighbour would testify, particularly the 94 year old lady who lives at the other side of them, who has been psychologically bullied by them until she can hardly set foot out of her house! You can't reason with these people, or be nice to them, so it's best to ignore them, even though that's hard to do at times.

Moongazer, the best thing you can do for yourself here is to stop holding this vision of these people. Do you see what a "clear mental image" you have created for yourself and have now given to us? This thinking will continue to attract more of its kind. That's the law.

Thanks for that Rebecca. I hear what you're saying. It's very difficult to hold a clear mental image of people who are so loud and "in your face"...but I'll try visualising them differently..even when they're swearing at me over the fence!!

Perhaps I should do what I was advised when first taking up public speaking...visualise them on the loo! Even the queen goes to the loo, I was told!!

quote:

It's very difficult to hold a clear mental image of people who are so loud and "in your face"...but I'll try visualising them differently..even when they're swearing at me over the fence!!

Hi Moongazer,

I agree with Rebecca..the more you continue to focus on the neighbors "bad" behavior, the more you are getting.

I know its an oversimplification...but think of it like this....Have you ever had an annoying headache? Seems the more you thought about the headache and how you didn't want it the worse it got. In the middle of this headache have you ever got busy with something..work, play, whatever? And as you became so engrossed in the enjoyable activity did you forget the annoying headache until hours later when you realized you didn't have it anymore? I think this has happened to everyone.

That's the power of focusing on what you want instead of what you don't want. As I said, I know its an oversimplification but the principle is the same.

Michael M.

Thanks Phil!
I was almost not going to read the post because of the title--"sour little post." Then I saw it was from you. I took your advice and looked at my "lemons." I made a list and was surprised to find that I didn't have all that many lemons (thank you very much). What I did was then wrote down what I could do with my lemons to make a tasty, refresing beverage. A very nice shift in perspective was just what I was in need of right now. It does get easier with practice. Off to enjoy feeling all my wonderful new stuff!

Leslie

quote:

Originally posted by Moongazer:
Thanks for that Rebecca. I hear what you're saying. It's very difficult to hold a clear mental image of people who are so loud and "in your face"...but I'll try visualising them differently..even when they're swearing at me over the fence!!

Perhaps I should do what I was advised when first taking up public speaking...visualise them on the loo! Even the queen goes to the loo, I was told!!

Well ... I think you'll have a much more pleasant experience all 'round if you simply bless them and then remove your attention from anything to do with them. It may also be helpful sometimes to realize that nasty behavior is actually a cry for help from someone who's miserable and doesn't know what to do about it. That doesn't mean that you need to "rescue" or "fix" them.

(You can't; everyone must do that for him- or herself, and first they have to want to. When you're operating on a higher plane, they can't even hear what you have to say anyway. They just don't have access to that; it's too big a leap from where they are to where you are. We all climb up step by step by choosing to change our thinking -- where we put our focus, faith, and feeling -- just a little, then a little more, and so on.)

Bless them and let them go. The more you look at them and focus on what you don't like, the more you attract that sort of thing to you. It really is as simple as that. And if the neighbors want to focus on those folks and their behavior, you'll be much better off not to go there with them.

Do this for a while, consistently, and you'll see that while they may still be there physically, they won't mess with YOU. When you don't attract them, they can't come into your experience.

Thank you so much Rebecca and also Michael for this very worthwhile advice.

I will endeavour to do as you suggest. I think deep down I knew the answer was along those lines, although in the face of a problem it's often easier to stay entrenched, if you follow me!

Thank you again!

Thanks Lucky

That was definitely an aha moment for me !!! Probably one is where one is right then for lessons to be learnt. I will definitely keep that in mind.

Ritu

Bless them and let them go - it works. I had a horrible time with neighbours gossiping about me and the hate literally crippled me. But I decided to change my thoughts and bless them instead. My life is too precious to waste time and energy in being angry at other people. Or being miserable over how they feel based on a whole bunch of untruths.

In the past year my nett worth has doubled, my joy in life has multiplied exponentially and I found the job of my dreams. I found heavenly peace in spite of the fact that nothing on the outside has changed. And I also learned to love and accept myself.

I know this is just a half way house, I am not going to be living here forever. But my neighbours have lost all power because I simply ignore them and think about the things that I do want. The intrusive negative thoughts have vanished.

Caroline

Caroline, thank you for your most encouraging words.

I'm already following the advice given by yourself and Rebecca and can feel a subtle shift already!

The lemons are sweetening!!

Thanks Phil,

"HOW SWEET IT IS!"

Isn't it great how a small shift in perspective can change our experience and SWEETEN OUR LIVES?

Thanks for sharing the kind of stuff THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

Peace, Joy and Prosperity To All,

Jerry