Why I Love My Kitchen Sink – shifting perspective

Our kitchen faucet sprung a leak the other day.  Every time I turned it on, little sprays from pin holes in the faucet would give me a shower.  It was toast.  By now, my husband and I should realize that plumbing projects require multiplying the time we think its going to take by 20 (or more).  Things never go as smoothly as anticipated and the fittings are never the same so it usually take multiple trips to the hardware store.

I only had one day where I didn’t have a faucet in the kitchen, but what a pain in the butt!  I couldn’t rinse food, dishes or wash my hands, wipe counters, etc using the sink.  My instinct was to feel frustrated and impatient to get it fixed.  Was there another way to look at it?  Instead, I tried to shift my perspective and realize I should appreciate how wonderful it is to have hot and cold running water in the kitchen.  It wasn’t so many generations ago it was not possible and there are still parts of the world that don’t enjoy such a wonderful convenience.  Also, I should be grateful that my husband was able to install the new faucet so we didn’t have to hire a plumber.  And I should be happy it was only one day.  The sink is now fully functional and I try to pause and enjoy instantly having hot or cold water in my kitchen.

What inconvenience or unwanted situation made you frustrated this week?  Is there a way to take a different view and use it to remind yourself of something positive?  Please share below.

Tina Hallis, Ph.D., is a professional speaker and consultant for The Positive Edge, a company dedicated to helping people and organizations fulfill their true potential using strategies from the science of Positive Psychology.