9. How Does Negative Experience Set You Up for New Heights?

On the scheduled day, Sara arrived at the studio carrying a large, heavy suitcase filled with materials. It was a struggle to fit everything in the car’s backseat. The suitcase contained embroidery frames, bags of essentials, and threads – enough for a workshop with seven people rather than just herself.

To say that the place was unimpressive would be an understatement. Located in the city center, the area resembled an industrial zone, with piles of garbage and poorly maintained roads. “I should have visited the studio earlier,” Sara thought, realizing the unsightly surroundings.

However, there was no turning back now. Everyone was expected to arrive in an hour. As she made her way to the second floor, where the studio was situated, Sara was met by a disheveled woman in her mid-40s, holding a cigarette.

Standing at the doorway, the stern-faced woman glanced over Sara, taking note of her suitcase and embroidery frames, before asking, “You’re here for the master class, right?”

“Yes, that’s me, Sara,” the girl replied, attempting a smile.
“Follow me. It’s 10:00 now, and we’ll start counting the time from here. You have until 7:00 p.m., alright?”

Sara followed the woman, feeling a sense of horror as she surveyed the scene. Scattered objects, empty bottles, and cigarette butts littered the floor, accompanied by a pervasive smell of smoke. The lighting was also terrible. Sara was utterly shocked.

“I apologize, but why is the room so… untidy?” she cautiously asked the landlady.

“My son had a party last night, so I didn’t have time to clean up. Well, you can take care of it in an hour, can’t you?” the landlady replied calmly.

Sara stood in the middle of the room, unsure what to prioritize – the materials or the cigarette butts on the floor.

“There’s a table over there for you to work on. How many chairs do you need? I only have six,” the landlady informed.

Snapping out of her initial shock, Sara settled on one of the chairs beside the table, being careful not to provoke any damage.

“Be careful!” the woman exclaimed sharply, making Sara jump. “These chairs are old, unrestored, and quite fragile. They won’t hold up if someone with a larger build sits on them. But you seem slim, so they should be fine. Sit down, but be cautious!”

Sara thought, “What if there are more students than just me? Oh, dear, what am I going to do?”

“Anyway, take a seat, and if you need anything, I’ll be in the kitchen,” the studio owner said before leaving the room.

Fearful of making any sudden moves, Sara glanced at the clock. It was already 10:25. In just 35 minutes, the workshop participants would arrive, and they would be appalled by the state of the room. There was no other option. She had to clean up, air out the space swiftly, and arrange the materials. To her relief, the first participant arrived almost half an hour late.

As each participant entered the room, Sara couldn’t help but assess their physique. She breathed a sigh of relief every time she saw a slender individual. “Thank goodness! Hopefully, the chairs won’t collapse,” she silently prayed.

Among Sara’s clients were a few dedicated workshop enthusiasts who had attended classes with various embroidery masters. Their expressions seemed to convey, “Let’s see what you can do.” The unhappy and frowning faces revealed their dissatisfaction with the tobacco-scented room and the barely sturdy chairs they were forced to sit on.

During a break, one woman visited the restroom, which was more of a communal space. Returning to the table, she approached her friend and loudly whispered, “Check your clothes. There are cockroaches in the bathroom.”

That was the breaking point.

After the master class concluded, Sara paid the hostess, even though she deserved a discount for such unfavorable conditions. She loaded everything into her car, sat behind the wheel, and couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

Her tears flowed uncontrollably. “What a humiliation!” Sara thought, attempting to regain composure. “Everyone will surely complain about the terrible workshop. Who else would want to come to me? My career is over before it even began.”

– How Does Negative Experience Set You Up for New Heights?

Success comes to the brave! The power of positive thinking.

We have all experienced the consequences of negative events and challenges. Even though it could be a personal setback, an irritating work environment, or even feeling down with the burden of negative thoughts, it can make us feel low and cause negativity.

However, we should understand that those negative experiences affect us in ways that give positive results rather than lasting effects. By developing a positive state of mind and maintaining a positive outlook, cultivating positive experiences in life, and injecting positivity into our surroundings, we can conquer negative experiences and reduce stress.

How many successful people have you known who have never faced failure? A successful person differs from someone who has achieved nothing in life because he did not give up in a difficult moment but continued to believe in himself.

Of course, it’s not easy to lose faith in yourself in today’s world of “successful success” when someone else’s luxurious life jumps out at you from your phone screen. Everyone tries to show only the best side of their lives and is silent about their failures. But believe me, we all have them. The only question is how we react to the negative situations in life.

Think about the great Coco Chanel. Before she became a trendsetter, black was the color of grief and poverty. For five whole years, she steadily created elegant black dresses and finally overturned the established stereotype in fashion. And imagine if she had dropped everything at one point when faced with the first challenges. The world of fashion and design is already hard to imagine without the elegant style of Coco Chanel!

AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SUCH STORIES!

Shifting Focus: From Negative to Positive

One effective practice for defeating negative thinking is to shift our gaze from dwelling on the bad things that have happened to us to look for good things in our lives. If we actively look for ways to cultivate and keep a positive attitude, we can earn more money, take more care and handle more trouble easily.

The Power of Positive Self-Talk

We sometimes tend to criticize ourselves negatively and end up taking it too seriously. However, by changing unnecessarily negative self-talk directed at us into positive self-talk with high motivational potential, we can maintain a positive attitude and keep moving forward. 

Learning and Growing from Mistakes

These mistakes can sometimes be precious learning experiences. Instead of looking at a mistake as a failure, you need to see it as an attempt necessary for them to reach their goal. Considering that all humans make mistakes, we should embrace this mindset and know that we will try something different to better ourselves next time.

Surrounding Yourself with Positive Relationships

Positive relationships have a huge impact on our morale and assist us in dealing with stress efficiently. Positive-thinking people inspire and motivate others. Spending time around positive people and doing positive activities it’s the best you can do.

Cultivating Positivity in Everyday Life

Positive actions and small acts of kindness contribute significantly to the well-being you. Practices, listening to uplifting music, and engaging in kinds more generally make us think positively. 

Any experience, even the most negative one, is GREAT!

Because failures and failures build the foundation for your future success, and if one door closes, it doesn’t mean there is no way out. A new one has to open soon!

Assignment 13. One of the basic skills of successful people is the ability to see the positives in the not-so-good situations.

So think back to the negative situations in your life (not just about business). Think about what lessons you learned from them as a positive experience.

This table is worth filling in as new and invaluable experiences arise. Over time, you will develop the habit of immediately seeing the positive aspects of negative circumstances.