Denial

We’ve all had experience with this phenomenon at least once in our lives. I remember my first real bout with denial: it was a knockdown, drag-out battle I was having with myself concerning a stock that tanked. What the hell was I thinking?!


As I have stumbled through this adventure, expert after expert has strongly suggested that we need to do away with denial and face things head-on, all in their proper context. I’m not so sure about that.


Once the screaming shock settles to a dull roar, and the reality of your situation begins to slink its way into your brain, denial takes on a new role. Denial allows you a modicum of sanity, a small way to keep the enormous and ever-present rage locked tightly in the box. Denial allows you, as you look at the world from inside your eyes, to apply the salve of solace to yourself, thereby enabling you to choose a good attitude each day.


Upon waking each day, and finding out we dodged the bullet one more time, each of us has the opportunity to decide how we’re going to look at the world this day. Each of us has the privilege of choosing our attitude and our choice will define our emotional context for the day. Our attitude not only impacts ourselves, but everyone with whom we come in contact throughout the day. My experience tells me it is a binary decision: good or bad. It is just as easy to choose good.