Everybody loves a good flat tire; am I right? You know the days where you're rushing around because you got up late, hurry to your car only to find that the tire mysteriously went flat overnight. What! The! Hell!? It was fine last night when you pulled it into the garage but when you found it this morning - on the morning you're running late, no less, it's flat as a pancake. Can you relate?
You rush back into the house, call your boss, change clothes to change the tire. In half an hour you're cleaned up and ready to roll again. As you head down the road you come up on an awful accident that is in the beginning stages of clean up. Suddenly, you stop. Breathe. Look around. The accident happened just when YOU were supposed to be crossing that intersection. Suddenly that flat tire has a whole new appeal, doesn't it?
You see, Nothing happens TO you, it happens FOR you and while that might be a bitter pill to swallow and some of us would argue the point to the ends of the Earth, I'm going to challenge the belief you might be holding onto that you have "bad luck" or "nothing ever goes your way" and introduce the idea that you have STELLAR luck and everything IS going your way. Yes, even your health crisis, your divorce, your kid being suspended or the extra 50 pounds you're carrying. All of it.
Let's all take a deep breath in and think of a time when you had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I mean a day that left you needing a glass of wine at 9:00 am or the kind of day that led you to down a Whopper and a milkshake on your drive home. The kind of day where a bird shit on your head or the dog crapped on your new carpet: THAT kind of day. Ready? Breathe out.
What if... now go with me here... what if that day was orchestrated by someone greater than you to teach you a lesson or to keep you safe? What if that day was a lesson in humility, grace, what NOT to do? Did you learn your lesson? Did you continue to gripe until you hit the sack immediately following dinner even though things actually turned around because you just couldn't see anything good later in the day? Come on, be honest, we've all been there.
Just give me a quick minute here before you X out and roll your eyes. I know bird shit isn't the best part of your day. Seriously, a bird crapped on resume on my way into my first teaching job interview. It wasn't stellar. But think about this: waking up late, the flat tire, having to change, and THEN finding out that there was an accident at the intersection where you were supposed to be driving. It is entirely possible that YOU could have been the one being hauled off in an ambulance if you didn't have all of those hang ups in your normal routine. Maybe the universe had bigger and better plans for you than the ICU for the day. It kind of changes your perspective doesn't it? It didn't happen TO you, it happened FOR you.
Let's take this a step further into something arguable. Sickness. I'm not talking a coughing, sneezing, headache type of sickness, I'm talking about mortal sickness like cancer or a heart attack. I've heard the argument that if God loved us he wouldn't let us be sick or hurt, but what if God or the Universe allows us to be sick so we can experience immeasurable joy and peace that comes from the support and love of our family and friends? What if we are the person who shows a new way to cope, to survive, or responds well to some new fangled treatment that opens the doors for others? Maybe sickness didn't happen to us but FOR us and for everyone else too? I know it's a harsh thought but have you ever spoken with someone who felt so supported and so loved through an excruciating experience that the joy outweighed the fear? It's overwhelming and difficult to believe but it happens all the time.
I know this is a hard thing for us to wrap our heads around in the moment and it definitely takes practice but finding gratitude instead of looking for the silver lining is the key. If you're trying to dig around and scrounge up what good comes out of bird crap in your hair, you're going to have a rough time. If you shift your perspective to being grateful that it was bird crap instead of a tick or a tree branch, it's a lot easier. Suddenly, a bird crap barrette seems like a great option because it could have been Lyme's disease or a skull fracture. Stubbing your toe means you have a toe and you're able to walk - sorry it hurt. Getting a cold might give you the opportunity to catch up on some much needed rest and that flat tire... yeah, you didn't meet that other car head on. Bless up!
What about extra weight that you're carrying? If you're struggling to break the chains that are holding you to choices that are making it hard to play with your children or grandchildren, keeping you at home when you really want to go out, or that keep leading you back to the next fad diet: there is likely a very loving and protective force keeping the weight on - no matter how hard or how many times you have tried to shed it. It might frustrate the life out of you or leave you feeling helpless but the intention is positive. So, why can't you shift that positive intention from keeping you inside your cocoon to letting you have the life you want?
What do you do? How do you start this whole process of changing your perception to the sunny side of the street? I told you that it's not easy and it takes practices so I have some exercises that you can do to get the ball rolling. Ready?
WAKE UP! Literally waking up is a blessing. It counts. As soon as your feet hit the floor or your eyes open, start with a quick feeling of gratitude. You survived the night! You can move! You can stand and walk and eat and breathe!
FESS UP! Catch yourself when you start to get negative or down and think of three things you're happy about instead. Celebrate your tiny successes! If you forgot your lunch at work, be grateful that it's made for tomorrow. If you get a headache, be grateful for the creator of Advil and that someone had some you could take. If your floor is dirty, be grateful you have a floor, a broom, and the ability to clean it.
CATCH UP! Before you close your eyes at night, instead of mulling over what is on your schedule for the next day or how you messed up today, review what the best parts of your day included instead. Forget that stuff that was stressful and reflect on how you powered through, how you succeeded, how tomorrow is another day to make better choices. Write down one thing a night that that you are grateful for and review them on days when you're struggling to muster up positive feelings.
What is happening for you in your life today? What are you shining a light on that would otherwise look dark, scary, or impossible to benefit your attitude and your life? How can this change in perspective lead to exciting new opportunities for you? If you're ready to reach out and grab what you really want whether its to lose weight or up your positive energy, but need some more help, I've got 45 minutes to chat with you. Surely you can find the time to talk about what's important to you and why and get you excited about it! What do you believe you can accomplish with the right perspective and a great coach because I promise you, you definitely can have what you want! Schedule your free Ditch the Diet Breakthroughsession with me right now and you'll hang up the phone with at least one exciting insight as to what is holding you back and how to move forward.
The world can be a scary and dark place but there is light all around us when we look for it. I'm wishing you all abundant light and joy today and everyday.
