Philosophically thinking
I stay tuned to a blog collection called LifeRemix. The other day one of the writers there wrote about how a person (me, for example), can do one simple thing to influence his or her (my) level of happiness in any given situation.
It's something that I already do when I think about it, but forget about when I need it the most.
Are you ready for the simple thing you can do to influence your own level of happiness??
Whatever the situation - again, WHATEVER the situation - ask yourself this:
How do I want to be affected by this?
I know, I know. Too simplistic to be useful. But then again, it is true. We decide at some level how we react to the things that happen in our lives. We hold up. We fall apart. We're sad. We're scared. We take action or we don't. It's the act of deciding to be aware of and trying to influence our reactions that makes the difference.
I need this reminder right now thanks to work-related stress that's beating me up. I have a friend who needs this reminder right now because of divorce-related stress that's beating her up. I know how I should be reacting to my stress (and what I've been forgetting while under that stress). And I know what I want most for my friend: I want her to be affected by the insanity that is her life right now in the most productive, future-building ways possible. I wish I had a magic wand to wave to make that happen for her. But instead of a wand I have a pair of cheerleader pom-poms to wave at her.
Be strong. Be the independent, taking-care-of-business, making-a-better-life broad that you are. Let it affect you (it will anyway). But YOU decide the form that takes.
It's something that I already do when I think about it, but forget about when I need it the most.
Are you ready for the simple thing you can do to influence your own level of happiness??
Whatever the situation - again, WHATEVER the situation - ask yourself this:
How do I want to be affected by this?
I know, I know. Too simplistic to be useful. But then again, it is true. We decide at some level how we react to the things that happen in our lives. We hold up. We fall apart. We're sad. We're scared. We take action or we don't. It's the act of deciding to be aware of and trying to influence our reactions that makes the difference.
I need this reminder right now thanks to work-related stress that's beating me up. I have a friend who needs this reminder right now because of divorce-related stress that's beating her up. I know how I should be reacting to my stress (and what I've been forgetting while under that stress). And I know what I want most for my friend: I want her to be affected by the insanity that is her life right now in the most productive, future-building ways possible. I wish I had a magic wand to wave to make that happen for her. But instead of a wand I have a pair of cheerleader pom-poms to wave at her.
Be strong. Be the independent, taking-care-of-business, making-a-better-life broad that you are. Let it affect you (it will anyway). But YOU decide the form that takes.