Situations will always arise, positive and negative. The situations don’t determine the outcome.
The choices you make, the way you decide to learn from every situation, your mindset ALWAYS determines the outcome, and not just in the short term. The long term effects of any situation are solely determined by what you decide to take from it.
So today, start with a positive mindset.
Be open to learning opportunities (aka struggles).
On the surface, seems like the best thing(s) to focus on. After all, results are the best and easiest things to measure.
However, when you think about it, no matter how hard we try: the results are exactly what we have only partial control over.
There are too many variables in life for us to think we can control them all and therefore can control our results.
Weather changes, tragedies, external stimuli, availability of the things we need, etc can and will throw wrenches in our path toward the results we desire.
Think if it this way: Our input x external stimuli = results
What we can control is the effort to change. We can control our side of the equation. And truth be told, usually if we focus on what we can control, the curveballs life throws at us will become more manageable and allow us to love toward the results we desire.
So today, focus on what you can control, your heart, your effort, your vision and then resize no matter the hurdles (the other factors in the equation), we will move forward.
So I was looking for a practice putting mat to work on my (atrocious) putting at home.
I found this image on one of the items…
Let’s just say if this guy is practicing his “putting” this way at home, his wife/partner is not going to be very happy at the results of his play. (He’s going to put that ball right through the window and into the neighbor’s house.)
This got me thinking: When you “practice” your ideal future (a.k.a. visualize, dream, etc), make sure you are precise in your outcomes. It won’t help you too much if you visualize putting by lining up your driver and letting the big dog eat (so they say).
You need to get a clear picture in your mind of where you want to go, who you want to be and what you want to achieve.
Only then, can you take the baby steps it takes to succeed.
There are a lot of bite-sized inspirational talks, given by people from all walks of life (coaches, speakers, charity founders, teachers) and they are wonderful.
Some of my favorite quotes so far:
“You don’t choose your negative thoughts but you can choose not to listen to them”-Jay Glazer
“The best way to win the day is to win the moment. Moments turn into days, days into weeks and weeks into years.”-Doshia Woods
“Unshakeable confidence isn’t about the results. It’s about self awareness.”-David Nurse
“It’s not always the path of least resistance that gets you where you want to go, it’s the path that’s worth taking”-Sam Acho
“When we focus on honoring others as our mission in life, differences fade. Prejudice becomes a foreign concept.”- Miles McPherson
There are a LOT more. You should definitely check it out.
You most likely will find something there to help fuel you daily, and I guarantee it will make your Tuesday a little happier!
I believe that fear holds so many people back from achieving their dreams. As I wrote in my book, Purposely Positive, How to Live an Intentional and Inspired Life (I don’t really love quoting from my own book, but I’ll make an exception because it applies to this quote as well)
“The flip-side of inspiration is fear, and fear keeps you stuck right where you are. I’m not bad-mouthing fear here. Fear (like all emotions) is vitally important to your survival. If you didn’t have fear, plain and simple… you’d be fertilizer by now. A healthy fear of picking a fight with a honey badger is a good thing. Don’t lose that survival fear. The key is knowing the difference between that and the nonsense voices that fear puts into your head. Fear is about withdrawing (and with good reason), but it should never lead you.”
Fear is vitally important, but is should never drive you toward improvement. Fear is almost always about the very-short-term. Fear does not create long-term success.
Fear should not be your chauffer on the drive to realizing your dreams.
Let fear have it’s say, but focus on your heart.
Focus on your why.
Focus on achieving your dreams that have rooted in your heart and soul.
I recently discovered the term “toxic positivity.”
Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. It’s a “good vibes only” approach. (Taken from http://www.verywellmind.com)
I choose to be positive, and I write about positivity not because I see the world through rose-colored glasses, but because I decide to realize the world is a beautiful place.
I whole-heartedly believe that when circumstances are awful, we should recognize that, allow ourselves to grieve, mourn, cry, get frustrated, angry and lash out some even.
It is always ok to not be ok.
However, I also believe that it is up to ourselves to change our situation for the future. It is up to us to learn from any challenge and apply it toward a growth mindset.
The only way positivity can be toxic is in the absence of empathy. If someone (even if it is yourself) is going through some horrible situations, I don’t believe we should talk to them (ourselves) about maintaining positivity without acknowledging THE SUCK of the situation. First and foremost, be kind, listen, hug, comfort.
Also realize that part of the comfort is the belief/faith that all things pass and life will move on and in fact can become better, eventually.
“That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”-Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
TRUTH!
When we strive to improve ourselves, the AMAZING “side effect” is that we will improve those around us as well.
When you shine your light, you brighten everyone else’s day.
Don’t make the (all to common) mistake of thinking that moving toward your goals, your successes, somehow lessens those around us. That is a HUGE falsehood, and unfortunately, stifles so many people from achieving their goals.
Abundance is not limited.
If you are working toward improvement, and you do so with compassion, love, grit and not by stepping on those around you, you will help, not hinder others. On that note: If you achieve any success by pushing others down so that you may gain ground, that success will most definitely be short lived and shallow. (Most people do not fall into this category. I truly believe most people want to improve their lives, and not hurt others in the process).
So, today, work toward achievement, and take comfort in the FACT, your success only HELPS those around you.
Their music always seems as if it comes directly from their souls.
Many songs are uplifting, and all of them seem to tug at heart strings (at least a little bit).
One song I have recently discovered is “Better Man.”
I love this stanza:
“Oh my hands to serve and love My eyes to see and not to judge My spirit now to rise within And reign over my carnal skin“
As a chiropractor, any song that alludes to my hands serving already has me listening, but this stanza to me could be a meditation phrase, or a prayer for life.
And the chorus:
“And oh I just want to be a better man And oh I just want to be a better man, yeah And oh I just want to be a better man And oh I just want to be a better man As I go“
The chorus is pretty great too! I like to change the last line though from “As I go” to “As I GROW.” (I don’t think Judah nor his lion would mind me singing that to myself in my car).
As a business owner, especially as a chiropractor, I can tend to think of growth in #s, volume, etc. But this song reminds me that the true GROWTH I am looking for is growth from within. I want to grow as a person, father, husband, doctor, friend. I want to improve in all aspects, and the pacing of the song reminds me that growth is not meant to happen RIGHT AWAY.
I truly do want to grow to be a better man, and that growth feels best (and lasts) when it comes from my desire to serve, love, see and not judge, and when all of that combined comes from my spirit. So that is what I am going to work on daily…
Dissemination of Inspiration 