The more I observe others in my work and life, the more I am convinced that attitude is vital to our sense of fulfillment. The oft-used metaphor of seeing the glass as half full or half empty is helpful, but only part of the story.Beyond a doubt, my favorite people are "full glass" people -- those special individuals who always see opportunity in life. My colleague and friend Lisa is one of those people -- she could be having a bad hair day, get a flat tire, and be late for an important meeting, and yet she is smiling and laughing. What does she know that the rest of us do not? I think it is that she sees the full glass.
The attitude we hold is so powerful. If we see endless possibility, then we can unleash this power into the world.
I think that Maya Angelou said it best when she told Oprah -- "I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights." I think that the "full glass" person walks out into the downpour, wears the same outfit twice, and probably pours a glass of wine and puts on Nat King Cole before tackling the lights.
I struggle with being a "full glass" person myself, but I am always looking out for them. They are out there -- at pet shelters, bus stops, and on the slide at the playground. And they remind us to see the possibilities in life.
