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Wise Up, Stuff Happens!

"Control your impulses.  It's not what happens to you that's important - it's how you respond.

·        Stuff happens.  In a universe of unlimited opportunities, where things can change in an instant, stuff happens.

·        With preknowledge and controlled intelligent responses, you can handle any stuff that comes your way.

·        You can't control everything, but you can always control how you respond to things.

·        Impose discipline on your impulses by making it a practice to 'catch' your first impulse.  Think before you act.

·        Realize that you are ahead of the game because you won the race and showed up!  For this moment in time, be thankful that you woke up this morning.

·        Imagine that what is going on now is a movie.  Now choose to act your role.  Write the story and direct your own performance and desired outcome.

·        Keep saying: 'It's not what happens to me that is important - it's how I respond to what happens.'

·        Be prepared to shake stuff off and take those necessary steps up and out (Alston & Thaxton, 2003, p. 11-12)."

Reference:  Alston, J. & Thaxton, L. (2003).  Stuff happens: and then you fix it!: 9 reality rules to steer your life back in the right direction.  Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

How do you react when stuff happens?

Stuff Happens is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center. To borrow this resource or any other resource, please go to the resource search page http://164.107.48.88/winnebago/index.asp?lib=???

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Created: 2008-04-03, Updated: 2009-01-09