It’s the first full week of 2020 and time to get down to business on that life you’ve been dreaming of. It seems like a tall order, doesn’t it? How do we go about living the life of our dreams? The very first thing you have to do is to decide to do it. It’s about making the decision. After that, there will be no stopping you.
You’ve seen it before where people say you have to decide to be in a good mood. You have to decide it’s going to be a great day. Guess what? It’s true! You aren’t going to wake up one day and have everything magically changed in your life. You have to make the changes. You have to be the one to do what it takes to live the life you’ve always wanted. It really is that simple. It’s not usually easy but it is that simple.
What if you went to work this morning with the decision made that it’s going to be a great day and you won’t let anyone bring you down? You are the one who decides the mood you will be in. You have to be. If you let others determine that then you will never be happy. You have to figure out a way to let the actions of other people roll off your back. I know, I know! Sometimes what other people do affect you and your work. Just do your best. You are in control of your emotions and actions. Make sure they are in your best interest.
I didn’t get along with my former partner at my last job. I tried really hard to make things work with him but he seemed dead set against making life as difficult as possible for me. One day after work I re-read parts of my favorite book “You are a badass” by Jen Sincero to remind myself of the person I want to be. I went back over the parts I had highlighted which I try to do often. I was reading about exactly what I’m talking about right now. Not letting people get to you. I went into work that day with the attitude that I wasn’t going to let my partner get to me. It was a new attitude and I was hell bent on making it work. Low and behold, on our very first break on the air that morning he accused me of making people turn the radio station off….live on the air! I was beyond pissed. I went off on him the minute the microphones went off. I found it to be pretty ironic that he would do something so outrageous on the day I decided I wasn’t going to let him get to me. So, it didn’t work that day. But I got through it. And I look back now and realize it’s better to try and fail than not to try at all. I had more days that I let the things he did roll off my back than allowing it to get to me and ruining my day. But I had to decide that he would no longer get a say in how my day went. Most of the time it worked. Sometimes it didn’t but it’s still better to try than to let someone get to you day in and day out.
So much of our lives really do depend on the attitude we bring to the situation. Take my 30 days of no carbs, healthy eating and no alcohol. I’m on day 5 and so far, it’s been seamless. I’m not even craving any of the things I have cut out. Yet. It’s still early. I credit the ease of the situation to the fact that I decided this was what I was going to do. I am committed to 30 days and I know I can last 30 days. I thought it would be really tough to watch playoff football without beer but it barely registered that I wasn’t drinking because of the decision I made. Once you decide it becomes so much easier. I think the time period helps. I would definitely be having a harder time if I decided I was never going to have my favorite foods again or have an adult beverage again. But 30 days is short enough to be doable and long enough to feel accomplished and get some real benefits out of it. I know I can do anything for 30 days. And when the 30 days is up it’s party time. The first weekend in February is the Super Bowl. Then my 50th birthday is right after that. Oh, oh and then the following weekend I am going to see Oprah!!! So, I have some pretty big things to look forward to as a reward for all my hard work through January.
If breaking it down in smaller chunks will help, then do that. Go into work and say you won’t let anything bother you until at least lunchtime. Or vice versa. If something gets to you right away, vow to have a better attitude after lunch. I read something once that asked…Are you really having a bad day or was it a bad five minutes that you keep reliving over again? How true is that most times? Decide to let these things go. It’s all completely up to you.
DECIDE…it’s a powerful word and can guide you to the life you’ve always dreamed of. It doesn’t always make everything seamless but it’s a definite step in the right direction. Decide what you want for you life and start living that way! It’s simple, not always easy, but indeed…simple.
It’s grateful Monday. My favorite day of the week after Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Think about what you can do right now to make your life better. Then decide to start doing it. Now, go make it your best day yet.
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