In my opinion, a positive attitude is essential to professional success.  In phone sales, my positive attitude and sense of humor served me well during cold calls.  When a prospect hung up on me mid-pitch, I enjoyed calling them back and immediately apologizing, “I’m so sorry, I think we got disconnected,”  and while this amused me and diminished the sting of rejection, it was also functional because I was never hung up on twice in a row.

Sometime around high school, I decided that life is what you make it.  In each and every challenge and miserable situation, there is room for growth and opportunity, but it is too easy to miss the good if you’re focused on the bad.  I’ve made it a focus of my life to strive to learn from setbacks and find the good in each and every day of my life.

To illustrate my point, I’ll share a recent experience.  This year has presented some interesting challenges in my personal life- luckily, I have a beautiful road bike (named Scottie, if you were wondering) that I ride to keep me grounded and happy.  The Friday before Memorial Day, Proxy Partners closed the office early, so I was thrilled to get home and get on my bike before the sun went down.  It was a beautiful day, and the ride started out amazing.  The temperature was perfect, I felt strong and free, the kids were even behaving in the trailer.

Wait, this is about optimism in the face of challenges, right?

That’s when things went sideways.  Literally.  The trailer slipped sideways, wedging itself into my spokes and slamming me to the ground with force that still surprises me when I think about it.  I heard something crunch as I landed in a crumpled heap on the pavement.  Long story short, I broke my pelvis in 3 places.

After a rough beginning to 2013, it would be easy to look at this setback as a devastating blow and a good reason to become cynical and downtrodden.  That’s not my style.  I got out of the hospital on Saturday, and showed up to work on Tuesday (Monday was Memorial Day) and had a smile on my face for the final presentation we had scheduled with a client who was receiving the final products of the project we had finished.

I was thankful that things hadn’t been worse- I had my helmet on, my kids were safe, and my breaks didn’t require surgery.

I was thankful that I had health insurance- there are many who don’t.

I was thankful that I have a capable body that heals well.

I was, and am, most thankful that during a trying time in my life, I was reminded how strong I am both mentally and physically.  I had been underestimating myself, but breaking my pelvis reminded me that I really can handle anything life has to throw at me.  Or anywhere life decides to throw me.

And as an incredible added bonus, I was reminded that I am surrounded by good people who are there for me when I need help because I make a point of being a kind, contentious, honest and helpful person in every aspect of my life.

I believe it’s possible to find the good in any bad situation.  Sometimes it’s hard to find, sometimes it’s hidden deep, but I believe it’s always there.