Courtesy: D Sharon Pruitt

Last week I was over an hour late to work because of the NYC subway system. This is not a post to bash the MTA however. Even though I was trapped on an R train at 34th street for more than a half hour — I embraced it.

I could have freaked out like some of the other passengers — but this was my thought process:

1. I could use the extra time to catch up on the book I’m reading.

2. It could be a lot worse — thankfully it was only 30 minutes.

3. I don’t mind having a few minutes in the morning of just sitting still — how often do you get to do that?

4. Getting upset and worked up over this will only make my day stressful to start.

5. While other passengers contemplated jumping out of the emergency door — I could take a deep breath and enjoy a little stolen time below ground.

I know this isn’t always possible — but I try to make the best of every situation–even the crappy ones.  Just step back before you freak out, inhale deeply and attempt to turn a negative into a positive.  Worked for me!  I’m halfway through my book now.