The other day a friend told me she woke up with a bad attitude and everything started to just go wrong! She asked me, “Why is everyone against me?” Then I stopped and asked her, “Wait a minute! Is everyone against you!”
I asked her to grab a note pad and start writing down the names of everyone that was openly “against” her. Jenny, Nick, Tommy… Three….that’s right – 3 people! Then I asked her how many people were “in favor” of her and supporting her in some way. Thirty-five, just off the top of her head! Then she thought globally and added another fifteen. “Most people are “neutral” toward me. We don’t have enough interaction to have an opinion,” she said.
Then she got it her big aha… she said out of ALL THE PEOPLE ON THE PLANET only 3 people resisted her and how much time did she spend each day personally interacting with these three people? She summed it up to a total of 35 minutes each week, average.
Then I asked her to think about ALL the negative experiences with people she had in a single day. You know everything from the guy who cuts you off in traffic to the rude comment by someone you don’t even know. She was hard pressed on even the WORST day to find more than 15 minutes a day of actual interaction with unpleasant people!
This insight reality hit both of us! There have been times when many of us, myself included, that our 24-hour day has been ruined by 15 minutes (and in most cases less than 15 minutes) a day of actual interaction with negative people!
How could this be possible? We survived the 5-15 minutes so why did this ruin the entire day? Even when we have been “cussed” and “cursed” the words didn’t hurt and the curses never amount to anything. Everything that is or has been spoken against us as a threat did not manifest as a reality! How could something as false and “unreal” as a “threat” ruin our day?
The answer is simple. The threat and negativity got into our own thinking and contaminated our mind. People annoyed us for less than 15 minutes and we annoyed ourselves by thinking about it for 23 hours 45 minutes or more a day and ruined the day! Now, becoming aware of this, I have learned to put my focus on the positives in my life and to be grateful for all that I have!
Life is all about choices. Is the glass half full or half empty? You decide…
At this point you may be thinking: “Yea, yea, yea – what if I’ve tried to switch my thinking, I’ve tried to improve my performance, I’ve tried to get better results, I know my thinking needs to change but I feel depression and anxiety are still in charge?”
I understand, because I’ve been there – haunted by the chains of depression and counting backwards from 10 to 1 to control the anxiety that had hijacked my body and my brain.
If this is you, I want you to pay very close attention here –
Earlier in the events section, I invited you to Bob Proctor’s Streaming Club this Friday the 21st. He is going to be giving specifics on how we fall into depression and anxiety and, more importantly, how to be rid these dream killers. It’s by webinar so you can participate from wherever you are, and if you have questions make sure to submit them before the webinar. Hold your spot here.
Here are a couple of simple but powerful actions I do throughout my day to keep on track. I invite you to use these tools and create the life YOU really want…
1. I participate in the Bob Proctor Streaming Club. I ask lots of questions. I trust Bob, after all. He is successful, happy and healthy. Being one of his facilitators and coaches, I get to spend valuable time with him. When he gives me homework, I do it. Right now I’m working on my assignment to listen to the Streaming Club recording of 1/10/14 and write out the Serenity chapter from “As A Man Thinketh” every day for 90 days. I’m on day 17 of 90. Has it helped? YES!
2. Keep a gratitude journal. We’ve all heard of this – write down what you’re grateful for in your life. I’ve switched it up a bit and I have found this change to make a difference. It really makes my day more positive because I am in a positive space… I have a positive attitude.
Instead of writing down all that I am grateful for at the end of the day, I write it as I’m going through the day. It truly gets me into a place of gratitude and when I’m in this space, more comes to me to be grateful for. I’ll write down anything I am really grateful for – a call from a friend, a new client, my client getting great results, a new opportunity, my honey giving me flowers, etc. I start each statement with “Thank you God for…” because I know all my good is a blessing from God. Then, I read my list at the end of the day before going to bed. I go to sleep in a good mood and I wake up in a good mood.
Now it’s your turn. Get a spiral bound notebook and keep it with you. I have mine on my desk. Write the positive things throughout your day. Give thanks and more will come to you to be thankful for.
3. When something negative does happen. I look for the education in it. I let go of the judgment – it’s not good, bad, right or wrong. It just is. Life is about experiences and this is another experience. It offers a contrast. How would we know what we do want without the opportunity to experience what we don’t want? Like it or not, we do need contrast and different experiences. This is, most likely, a very different way of being than you’ve been taught or conditioned from a young age. Let me know how you do with this…. questions, comments. I would love to hear from you.
We would love to hear from you! Please click on “leave a reply” at the end of this posting and share your comments – What is your favorite nugget you got from this, today? What are you most excited about implementing from this “Yes I Can With A Plan! Bright Ideas” edition?
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Lisa Long is an author, speaker and success coach helping businesses and individuals overcome sabotaging obstacles so get the results they want and live the life they truly desire. She is available for workshops, keynote, team and one-on-one coaching. Contact Lisa at: 928-284-9285, lisa@yesicanwithaplan.com, www.YesICanWithAPlan.com