The Important Thing Is That the Glass Can Be Refilled

The Important Thing Is That the Glass Can Be Refilled

Last update: 04 March, 2017

How many times have we heard the question: How do you see the glass, half full or half empty? As we know, if you’re an optimistic person, who focuses on the positive and pleasant situations, you see the glass half full. This means that you’ll think that there’s still a lot of “water left to drink” and that not everything is lost.

On the other hand and in the same situation, if you are a person with a tendency towards pessimism, you will perceive the glass half empty. That is, you’ll put all your attention on the negative aspects of situations, without keeping the positive in mind and you’ll think that soon “you’ll run out of water.”

Which view do you think is the right one? Surely, you’ll obviously agree with optimism: seeing the good side of things. It is true that it is much more beneficial for us, but what happens is that we cannot extract something positive in all situations because sometimes they are quite unpleasant. Of course, we can always become reborn like a phoenix and start again.

Refill the glass

Human beings have a capability called resilience that helps us and pushes us to adapt and overcome painful situations. The aim is to address the situation and come out of it stronger. Refilling our glass means that, even if you think you’ve hit rock bottom, you’ve reached the limit of your possibilities and nothing makes sense to you, you remember that there is always some hope. Simply because life is change.

hand holding a glass filling it with water

Everything is constantly changing, nothing is permanent. It is because of this that one day you are experiencing a stage and thinking it is forever and when you least expect it, you wake up with a completely different life. Yes, you have to work for the changes to take place, not lose hope and keep going.

Therefore, it is not about being optimistic or pessimistic. It is much better to be realistic. Realize that it is true that our situation can be very negative and it is difficult to make something good out of it, but despite how awful it is, it will pass, and we will adapt to it and it will make us tougher.

What if the glass is completely empty?

It can happen and this is why it is so important while  you have it full or half full to appreciate it and be be thankful. We are not trained to give thanks for what we have, rather we are taught to complain about what we need to try and as much as we can.

Almost no one is able to realize that we already have everything to be happy and that we need very little, but instead of seeing it, we become bitter towards life, which is already quite full, by believing we don’t have what we need.

As we have said, everything is constantly changing and,therefore, you are in a bitter or sweet situation which can always be transformed, emptied or filled. We have little control of our situations, what will happen or will not happen. For this reason, it is not convenient to stay in the past ruminating about what happened, or to travel to the future and become obsessed with what may come.

It is really ideal to enjoy the present with what you have at hand. If you can do something to add more water to your glass, wonderful! If not, is in your hands to do so. Leave the glass as it is and enjoy it.

empty glass on a wooden table

The glass is not full if…

It is true that we cannot control external situations or others, but we can control ourselves, both on a level of thought and behavior.

If you’re planning to fill your glass, stay home and forget about waiting because it will never happen. For new results, we need to take different actions, change our way of assessing situations, our interpretations and so, gradually, we will change what is around us.

The glass is not full if we do nothing to fill it, that is, if we sit with our arms folded watching life pass by. Therefore, the change always starts with us and with our willpower. We must be able to put ourselves in our place and tell ourselves it’s time to change what we do not like in our lives. It is time to refill our glass.

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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.