Misery Or Miracles

Vance Larson
2 min readJul 21, 2024

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I spent my entire life working in mental health. And there is one certainty that I have learned. Some look for misery. Some look for miracles. Guess who is happier? That is what it comes down to. Not money, sex, power or love. Outlook. That is it. And That is all.

You can take two people who have endured the same traumatic experience at the same time. One gets better and the other doesn’t. But why? There could be a host of reasons as to why. Medications, support systems, a lack of resources and so on. But even if they have the exact same advantages or disadvantages, one gets better while the other one doesn’t. It comes down to who is looking for miracles.

Sounds like bullshit, doesn’t it? That said, there is study after study that show attitude is everything. We all know someone who has a problem for every solution. But the flip side of that coin is that there are people who see problems as part of the journey. Perception is power. I have worked with clients who have had every disadvantage handed to them in life, yet you would never know it. There are many who grew up in poverty, yet you couldn’t convince them that they are poor. There are people who grew up surrounded with all of life’s amenities, and they have no idea how to be happy. Miracles, baby. They aren’t looking for miracles.

What are you looking for? What is holding you back? Because what you are seeking is seeking you. I know, I sound like some new age guru or cult leader. Who knows, maybe I am. But it is my pursuit of miracles that kept me alive when I lost everything. Including losing my daughter, brother, father, 2 aunts and a few friends in four years. Stop looking for misery, conspiracies, needing to be right, and waiting on karma. Yes, they are there. But they hold no power over you unless you ask them to dance.

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Vance Larson

I am a retired crisis counselor of 20 years. I share my experiences {both personal and professional} about thought provoking subjects. Follow me.