“Life is an end in itself, and the only question as to whether it is worth living is whether you have enough of it.” Oliver Wendell Holmes
When someone asks you a question, you have a choice – you can say something negative (like many people), or you can say something positive and stand out from the crowd. When someone asks you about your job, do you say? “My boss is an idiot.” “I’m bored to tears.” “I hate what I do.” How big of an impact would you have it you turned your initial reaction around and found something that you liked instead. (Come on, there has to be SOMETHING!) When you change your answers, you change your life.
Here are a few ideas for answering differently:
From: “I hate my job” to “I am thankful because this job is a stepping stone for my PERFECT job.”
From: “Traffic is horrible!” to “I’m grateful to have some time to myself to contemplate my day and count my blessings.”
From: “This person is an idiot” to “Wow, they really have a different way of looking at things. I appreciate the opportunity to learn from others.”
From: “Ugh, when will winter finally be over?” to “I am thankful to know that once I get through winter, my reward will be spring.”
Just for today, go through the entire day without uttering a negative word or complaint aloud. It’s not an easy task, and once we become aware of how often we are choosing a pessimistic response over an optimistic one, we can make better, more positive choices. You’ll feel better as will everyone around you.
Have fun,
Lisa
PS – Choosing positive emotions over negative emotions not only feels good, it has proven health benefits too!
