Garbage Trucks

[Guest guest]

[From an Affirmations Group...By Charlene]

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you

let a bad

driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your

day? Unless

you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your

heels.

However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back

her

focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson.

I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab.

Here's what happened.

I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were

driving

in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a

parking

space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks,

skidded, and

missed the other car's back end by just inches!

The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident,

whipped

his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was

friendly.

So, I said, " Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car

and sent

us to the hospital! " And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now

call,

" The Law of the Garbage Truck. "

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage,

full of

frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage

piles

up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it

on you.

When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just

smile,

wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The " Law of the Garbage Truck. " I started thinking, how

often

do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their

garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets?

It was

that day I said, " I'm not going to do it anymore. "

I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie " The Sixth Sense, " the

little

boy said, " I see Dead People. " Well, now " I see Garbage Trucks. "

I see the load they're carrying.

I see them coming to drop it off.

And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing;

I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this

every

day on the football field.

He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled.

He never dwelled on a hit.

Payton was ready to make the next play his best.

Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting.

Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from

school with

hugs and kisses.

Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at

their best

for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take

over

their day.

What about you?

What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage

trucks

pass you by?

Here's my bet.

You'll be happier.

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..

Love the people who treat you right.

Forget about the ones who don't.

Believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, TAKE IT!

If it changes your life, LET IT!

Nobody said it would be easy....

They just promised it would be worth it!

source:

/message/234\

04

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for sharing this highly motivational story with us.

A valuable lesson to be learnt here...like i forgot to thank someone here, who posted here the other day, which goes something like this...Remember the Good, but forget the anger/hurts/insults/abuse, hurled at us.

[From an Affirmations Group...By Charlene]How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson. I learned it in the back of a New York City taxi cab. Here's what happened.I hopped in a taxi, and we took off for Grand Central Station. We were driving in the right lane when, all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us.My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!" And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well, now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.One of my favorite football players of all time, Walter Payton, did this every day on the football field. He would jump up as quickly as he hit the ground after being tackled. He never dwelled on a hit. Payton was ready to make the next play his best. Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting.Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day. What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by?Here's my bet. You'll be happier.Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so.. Love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason.If you get a chance, TAKE IT!If it changes your life, LET IT!Nobody said it would be easy.... They just promised it would be worth it!source:/message/234\04 </message/23404>