“One day, a farmer’s donkey fell into a well. The frightened animal brayed loudly for hours while the farmer tried to figure out what he could do to get it out of there. After much pondering, the farmer thought that the animal was too old to continue working and that, since the well was dry and he had planned to cover it, it was not worth taking the donkey out.
So he asked some neighbors for help. They all took their shovels and began to throw dirt to cover the well, with the donkey inside.
The donkey, which is actually an exceptionally intelligent and problem-solving animal, began to realize what was happening, so it brayed even louder. Soon after, to everyone’s surprise, he calmed down and lay down, letting the dirt slowly cover him.
However, after a few minutes of calm, the donkey opened its eyes and sat up, shaking off the dirt that covered its back and head. As the dirt fell, he got up again to get closer and closer to the mouth of the well.
After a while, everyone saw how the donkey reached the top, jumped over the curb and trotted off full of renewed vitality”.
The tale of the donkey and the well, the author is probably Aesop VI Century B.C., shows us that even in the darkest moments, there is a light of hope.
It all depends on how we look at it
In life, we often find ourselves stuck in difficult and challenging situations that make us feel like the donkey in the pit. However, this fable shows us that an apparently adverse situation can turn into something positive if we are able to look beyond what is happening with the right attitude.
Undoubtedly, the environment has a huge impact on our perception. When the donkey found himself trapped in the well, he experienced fear and anguish. Likewise, challenges and adverse circumstances affect our stability, triggering intense emotional reactions.
However, we must be aware that our way of seeing and interpreting what happens to us conditions our feelings and behaviors. If we want to get out of an unpleasant situation, we must take into account that these emotions can become an obstacle to finding a solution.
The vast majority of events can be viewed from different perspectives, so we should focus on the one that is most useful to us. An apparently adverse situation can turn into something positive. When we change our perspective, the meaning changes, and when the meaning changes, the emotions and behaviors associated with it also change.
Serenity and determination, the keys to face the storm
Finding serenity in the midst of the storm is crucial to be able to analyze what happens to us objectively. This way we can make the most convenient decision and, with a bit of luck, see the opportunity that is almost always hidden behind an adverse situation.
The truth is that the vast majority of situations we go through in life are not completely positive or negative. The problem is that on many occasions our haste, obfuscation, or disappointment prevent us from seeing beyond the negative.
Obviously, the fable of the donkey and the well also tells us about the strength of determination, the importance of not giving up and continuing to fight, finding the inner strength necessary to face obstacles, even when the others do not believe in us.
It encourages us to let go of what weighs us down and drags us to the bottom of the well, because only then can we find the necessary impulse to move forward. Just as the donkey shook off the dirt each time, we too can free ourselves from the weight of fear, frustration or sadness to overcome that dark moment.
Often the result, as in the tale, is renewed energy. Because when we realize that we are capable of facing adversity and coming out stronger, our self-confidence and self-efficacy are reinforced too. That is our true super power.
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