Sunday, January 23, 2011

My Attitude is my choice

I once took one of those Facebook quizzes "Which Hero are you?" referencing the TV show "Heroes". This was my favorite show for about two-three seasons until it became way too complicated to comprehend. My answers led me to have powers like Peter Petrelli, who coincidentally was one of my favorite characters.

If you didn't watch the show, his character didn't have his own super powers - i.e., to fly, to start fire, to stop time. His were "empathic mimicry". If he was around a hero who had a certain power, he could exhibit those powers. On his own, he couldn't fly, start fire, etc.

I found this really intriguing because that is true about me. I sense others strengths and weaknesses and absorb them as my own. I've gone to Atlantic City with gamblers and non-gamblers. Guess when I was lucky? I've worked or been friends with ambitious people and non-ambitious people. Again, guess when I did well?

Last week this trait struck me at the gym. I was on the treadmill and there was an elderly woman adjacent to me. She was walking at 3mph or something. So, I ended up cruising around the same speed. She left after some time and a thirty-something year old guy came on. He's a regular at the gym and has a lean, runner's physique. He was running at 9.0mph (yeah.) Somehow I picked up speed and was running faster than I was, really pushing myself. No one told me to go slow or fast. I just pick up the mood around me and accelerate (or decelerate) to that level.

I get inspired very easily and happy I have people in my life with high standards about different aspects. On the other hand, there are people in my life who are very negative and unmotivated. This is where I have to find my own strength and push them away.

I saw an image online - "My attitude, my choice..and I'm chasing happy." That's where I need to be. Even Peter Petrilli had to find his own purpose.


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