Think of the time wasted replaying an incident that happened earlier in the day. It’s easy to get wired and raise our blood pressure. Nothing good can come from it. Take the incident and metaphorically place it on a shelf and promise yourself you’ll visit it in a week. Most likely you’ll forget it’s on your metaphoric shelf. If you’re determined to fantasize, fantasize something enjoyable like a great vacation, being awarded an Oscar or the Nobel Prize. Hey, we can all dream, right?
ideas
Something to Think About
When it seems as if you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere, keep the wheels spinning, you never know when you’ll get traction. I think it’s a difficult part of the human experience to know one is working hard and remaining stuck in place without being able to see anyway forward. It’s during these moments, where overcoming inertia is the key to a breakthrough. We don’t know when the breakthrough will come, but we can be assured it will not come if we stop trying.
Something to Think About
Do you have to be right? I know folks like that. The conversation ends when they speak. That is, unless you agree with them. Or, are you one of those with an open mind? Folks with an open mind are like young children, curious about everything. Open minded people often watch and listen from the sidelines or the edge of the circle. They don’t buy into prevailing thoughts. They investigate and discover allowing them to see more clearly what is real.
Something to Think About
What did you do today to brighten someone’s day? Did you shine a light on their darkness? Did you listen to their heartbroken tale? Did you assure someone it was going to be alright? Did you give a lonely person a surprise gift? There are many ways to brighten another’s day.
Something to Think About
I can take things back to the store and request a refund. If I order something online and don’t like it, I can send it back for a refund. An angry or shaming word or comment can never be taken back. Once they are set free, they are heat seeking missiles determined to injure and destroy. Nothing good comes from it. The language we use determines if our interaction will be fruitful or destructive.
Something to Think About
Who do you love? Did you think of yourself? Loving oneself is a good starting place. When we love ourselves, we treat ourselves with compassion and forgiveness. We don’t compare ourselves to others, or believe that we are not worthy of the good things life has to offer. The more we practice loving ourselves, the more our love spills over and touches all the others who come into our life.
Something to Think About
The five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Grief refers to loss. The greater the loss, the greater the grief. Denial is a tough one. It was for me when my wife was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. The grief stages apply, in many ways, to all aspects of our lives. We experience a bad break up. We lose a job. We lose something we deeply believe in. It happens. Moving out of denial and into each of the successive stages is important if we are to remain emotionally healthy.
Something to Think About
When I go regularly to the gym I find that my pulse rate lowers, my muscles get toned, and I feel better abut myself. If I stop going to the gym, my thoughts take on a different view: the scale must be wrong. The cleaners shrunk my pants. Maybe I’ll look better with an untucked shirt. LOL I think I’ll keep going to the gym. The gym story signifies doing what’s right for the body. When we do what’s right for our emotional state, relationship state, spiritual state, we are doing what’s right for those aspects of our person.
Something to Think About
When we ask a question, our mind tracks the question the way radar tracks planes crossing through the skies. When we’re stuck on a question that’s leading us down a dark path (e.g., why does this person hate me?), our mind conjures up all kinds of illusionary thoughts and conspiracies. When we change our question our mind doesn’t ask why we changed the question, it hooks on to the new question. If it is a positive question, our minds flood with innovative ways to bring about a positive outcome (e.g., How can I make my spouse/partner feel unconditionally loved?).
Something to Think About
The greatest power each of us is in the choice of the words we use with another. Our words can lift another out of the dumps. Our words can inspire another to stretch and reach for a goal. Our words can tell another we love them. Our words can ask forgiveness and say, “I’m sorry.” Our words can also destroy, discourage, humiliate, and shame. Be a builder of people. Use the power of your words to build a better, more humane and loving world.
