Scratch That Itch!

I want you to think about yawning. Don't you kind of first feel it coming on in the background and it builds and builds until before you know it you just have to yawn?  As a matter of fact, I bet you feel like yawning right now just because I made you think about it.  Now think about an itch... that's right, an itch that starts out as a little inkling of an annoyance but it grabs your attention. You can be thinking about nearly anything else, but once your attention is on that itch, nothing will satisfy you until you scratch it. Sometimes, the momentum of that itch is so strong, you still have to scratch it again before you are satisfied. Sorry... go ahead, scratch that itch. I'll wait....

Our thoughts have a lot of power, don't they?  If a small, meaningless thought about a yawn or an itch can cause such an immediate physical manifestation, imagine what the big, meaningful thoughts are doing to us. Think about the momentum that our thoughts created when it came to a yawn or an itch... until the actual yawn or scratch broke that momentum. So think about this.... what is worry doing to you?  When you think about it, don't you see how worry follows the same pattern?  Starts out as a small concern, and the more attention you give it, the bigger it gets?  Well, let's get back to that itch for a moment. Let's say you felt those first inklings of an itch, but then something else happened to distract your attention and your focus was diverted.  That itch would subside. Chances are, it would go away altogether. Have you ever had a headache when you left the house but once your day started the headache left you without taking anything?  You didn't even know it was gone!  Your attention was distracted. 

So here's the good news... the momentum that worry brings is equally strong when you think positive thoughts. Right now, I am writing this blog from Las Vegas. I accompanied my husband on a business trip and tomorrow we rent a car and will be taking a road trip to explore Arizona. When I first thought about making this trip I was happy, but the real excitement began to build as I thought about the things I wanted to see and planning and doing the research. So, here's what I propose... as best you can, distract yourself when you find yourself in a negative thinking pattern and focus even more intently when you find yourself in a positive thinking pattern. It's not always easy, and it may take some practice, but every time you can distract yourself from a negative thought, even if only for a moment, you are conditioning and strengthening your mind. It's like your "thinking muscle" and, in time, it will become stronger.  Try it.... you'll see. Oh, and sorry about all that yawning and itching I made you do....

Seven Steps to a Great Day

Seven Steps to a Great Day

1. Coffee (ok, maybe you don't start with coffee, but I do, lol)

2. Meditate (or pray or yoga or whatever you do to clear your mind of distractions. Fifteen minutes should do it)

3. Make a list of ten things you either love or are thankful for (I like to write it down in a notebook so I can look at it when needed)

4. Laugh (do whatever you need to do, just don't go past this step. I use apps like Damn You Autocorrect but YouTube, Engrish.com and countless others work just fine. I repeat, do not skip this step!)

5. Listen to HAPPY music (I like a good slow, soft love song as much as the next guy, but not now. Upbeat, happy music only!)

6. Dance (preferably all over the house but it's not necessary. Behind a closed door is just fine)

7.  Look in the mirror and smile (PLEASE don't skip this step!!)

That's it!  I have another cup of coffee squeezed in there, but that's up to you. You will need to get up a half hour earlier, but soooo worth it!  Small price to pay for a great day!

Things I know: Control Yourself!

Things I know: Control Yourself!: Last week, I was asked to do something that was not really necessary, and my circumstances that week supplied me with a really strong excuse...

Control Yourself!

Last week, I was asked to do something that was not really necessary, and my circumstances that week supplied me with a really strong excuse not to do it, but it was the right thing to do.  I forgot about it, and at a time when I could still do it, was told not to worry about it.  I said okay, thank you so much, and promptly went on my way. Shortly thereafter, a third party called and pressured me to reconsider. I agreed and got the job done. So here's the real point of my story... my reaction to the third party was annoyance and anger. Not overtly, but privately, I was angry.  My thoughts were along the line of "who does she think she is?" and "she is such a pushy person, only thinking of herself".  Needless to say, I was feeling very negative, a state of mind I abhor, so I decided to try to look at the third person in a different way. Have you ever tried pulling something very heavy? The first yank doesn't move anything at all...especially if that yank was halfhearted... but if you tighten your grip, steady yourself, and keep at it, eventually you move it just a little. Then a little more, and a little more, and before you know it, you've made some headway. Well, that's how I was feeling. The first thought about her was hardly a change at all. "Well, she just doesn't know how to mind her own business"... then a little better "I don't really think she realizes how pushy she is" and "maybe she was just trying to prevent me from looking bad to others" ... then "this is a silly reason to be so upset"... Well, you get the idea... until finally, I could honestly say I was no longer angry. I don't mean to give the impression that this was a quick and easy feat, in fact, it took me all night. But it worked. And that's my point. 

In retrospect, I can see that my anger was really about me feeling a bit guilty for not doing the right thing in the first place, but I would never have seen that in the state I was in. I can also see that this person actually had my back, because she didn't want me to look bad.  So... the moral of my story is that we can control how we feel as long as we take control of our thoughts. This is not the first time I've talked about this in my blog, but it was such a strong example in my own life that I just had to share... so control your thoughts, control your life!