When you started your day, who did you say you were? Is that who you wanted to be? We have a choice. The bigger question is, does it make any difference? I believe It does make a difference. The same goes for how you say you feel, how the day will go, or what you can accomplish. The more positive you can be, the more positive the results will be. The problem I had was that it did not sound authentic. I can affect the future, but I cannot see it. If I don’t know for sure what the future will bring, then it may as well be positive.
You want to be right, so whatever you think or say, you work on making it true. The way I interpret events has a significant influence on my feelings and emotions. What I tell myself has a significant influence on my feelings and emotions. If I choose a positive outlook, I will work on creating a joyous event.
When I woke up this morning, my legs hurt. OK, I need to accept reality, but my interpretation of this event will impact my day. I decided to do two things. First, I had a full day or opportunity ready for me, and second, I am eager to start. This is where it gets tricky for me. What is it that I want to do? To keep it positive, I want to be joyful. I want to contribute to my legacy and bring joy to those around me. This all sounded artificial when I was first introduced to the idea. Over time I gradually changed my thinking to focus on the positive. Most of the research I read told me it would take about two months to reprogram my thoughts. I discovered that it started to expand once I accepted this new philosophy.
I used mindfulness meditation to discover what I, and others, needed. I used positive and today-focused self-talk to change my ways. If I thought, I should stop eating cookies, my brain said – great, sounds like a good idea but now let’s sample the cookie jar. This became, I do not eat cookies. Of course, your thoughts will be in turmoil for a while and say you are crazy – of course, you eat cookies. Hold the course, and you will establish that you do not eat cookies over time. This works for all our fears and negative thoughts. Want to be a great speaker, writer, or builder (fill in the blank with your purpose)? Then start the positive self-talk. I would add that actions also need to be positive. Want to be a writer, do what writers do.
When I was promoted to management, I was sent to management school. I remember many of the lessons learned, but one stands out. Our class was dismissed for lunch, and when we got back together, the instructor asked us – how many of you went to the management dining room to eat. Only three out of the class said they did. The instructor said he was surprised because he thought we were all managers. This was a setup, of course, to teach a valuable lesson. Want to be a public speaker? What do public speakers do? Want to have a life full of joy? What do joyous people do?
Circle back to where we started, what or whom do you want to be? If you want to be sick and tired, ready to end it all – That is who you will become. If you want to be full of joy, that is what will happen. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.
