How good of a friend are you? How good of a husband or wife are you? What is a better indicator of your friendship or relationship: How you react to good news or how you react to bad news?
When I ask this question most people immediately say that how they react to bad news is a better indicator of friendship and love. I can understand that. When you hear bad news from a friend or from your partner you know how to react. You show compassion, love and concern. That is how most of us are trained to react to show that we care. However, how you react to good news is a better indicator of how good a friend or spouse you are.
For the most part we are not trained how to react to good news. If a colleague were to tell you they were just promoted, could you honestly feel happy for them without thinking why you didn’t get the promotion? Let’s say your sister were to stop by to show you her new car. Would you be excited for her and show it or would you feel that you deserve a new care more than she does? If you have a hard time with good news, you are in good company.
How you react to good news is an indicator of your self-esteem and self-worth. Happy people show true excitement for the good news of others without making a comparison to themselves. In marriages where the couples know how to feel and show pride, happiness, and excitement when their partner shares good news there is a better chance of staying together than couples where one partner or the other has a hard time hearing and reacting to the good news.
It is not the bad news that makes the difference, it is the good news. One way to change your reaction to good news is to create and maintain an abundance mentality. Just because one person has something good happen to them does not mean that it won’t or can’t happen to you.
There is more than enough good to go around. If you look at your life and only see what you are lacking, that is what you will find. Try looking at your life differently and noticing how much you have, how strong you are, how many talents you have. This allows you to feel true excitement for great things that happen to those around you. At the same time, there is an energy that flows from good news. Get as close to the good news as you can and let that energy rub off on you.
If you could do one thing to strengthen your social connections, friendships, marriage or relationships with your co-workers, learn how to be happy for them. It will make a huge difference.
Kirk