Today at 3:28 a.m.

by Mike Masterson

At times I find myself struggling with something unexpected that happens to me, only to realize what truly matters at that point is not as much what happened as the way I chose to react to it.

More times than not over the years I've tended to needlessly overreact before thinking things through, mostly when the news is negative. That overreaction can needlessly spoil the day.

After the initial ripples of revelation vanish and my mind focuses, it can become relatively simple to deal with whatever the situation had been. Gosh knows, at this age, I've had more than my share of opportunities to respond as I imagine you have.

The time was, my initial reaction to bad news was mostly frustration and anger than anything else, especially at anything outside my control. Then the years turned into decades and my youthful temperament evolved into realizing whatever the problem was would pass regardless of how I reacted. My response to the news was what most disturbed my mind and body.

I discovered it was true that life is only 10 percent of what happens to us and 90 percent how we react to it.

So I began to alter my way of thinking whenever bad news arrived, until thankfully by the time my neck cancer diagnosis arrived........

© El Dorado News Times