You are driving to work, and traffic is piling up. Your speed is down to ten miles an hour and finally to a complete standstill. You’re due at a meeting in fifteen minutes. Recorded in your mental computer are several similar experiences from which you can choose a response.

1. “There’s nothing I can do about this, so I’m going to use this slowed traffic to listen to some soothing music or educational tapes.”
If this is your response, your bodily reaction to the traffic would most likely be minimal. As you remain neutral emotionally, your body conserves energy. You would arrive at work energetic and prepared.

2. “Why does this always happen when I’m on my way to a meeting? This is irritating! I can’t be late.”
When you choose this response, your blood pressure begins to rise, and a great deal of energy is burned needlessly. You will arrive at work harried and hassled.

When you or I do not learn to manage our reactions to life’s challenges by managing our attitudes and energy levels positively, we easily fall prey to negative experiences. When we learn to manage our attitudes and our energy, we are better able to respond to situations positively.

Imagine the problems these parents had when they received the following letter from their eighteen-year-old daughter who ran away from home for the first time.

Dear Mom and Dad,
This letter is to tell you about my first semester in college. It has been both unusual and exciting. I’m four months pregnant, but don’t be alarmed, because Michael and I will be married by a minister who lives in our commune.
I’m anxious for you to meet Michael. My only fear is that he will not approve of you because you don’t smoke grass or believe in riots – even for good causes like abolishing taxes.
You won’t be able to call me because our phone has been disconnected for non-payment. But I promise to write again soon.

Love,

Saida

How would you respond to a letter like that? What kind of attitude would it create?
Two restless and anxious days later, Saida’s parents received a second letter.

Dear Mom and Dad,
I hope you didn’t lose any sleep over my last letter. I’m not pregnant, there is no Michael, and I don’t smoke grass, live in a commune, or believe in riots. I wrote you that last letter because I got four D’s and one F in my grades and I wanted you to see things in their proper perspective.

Very few of life’s challenges are as bad as they seem at the time!