Your life. Is it enjoyable and fun or exhausting and nerve-wracking? A little too heavy to think about even? Unfortunately, if we depend upon life to make us happy, we are SOOL. You take back your power when, independent of circumstances, you get excited about your life again. And when you focus on what experience you want at that moment, life gets easier. We all know that in theory. But no matter the chaos, when you face your day with energy, it helps make life a little bit easier. Even during the worst of times.Excitement makes your life easier again.
Now, you may be thinking I’ve no idea what you’re up against. That some of your days are just too difficult, and you’re right about that. I’m not in your shoes on any particular day. We have very different lives and you’re up against your own stuff. But, I do have some sense of what it takes to shift from dread and fear each day toward one filled with excitement. Because I’m up against my own stuff every single day.
In truth, I want to feel delighted. Turned on. Excited.
I’d like to be the kind of person who wakes up grateful and eager all the time. And many days, I do. I have this quote I wrote about how I wanted to experience being a single mom. In it, I declared I’d be happy, courageous, with no-blinders on, wearing high heels, and makeup. There are days I laugh about this somewhat unrealistic goal. On other days – I rock it!
When you suit up for work, tend to your family’s needs, get to the gym or head out to do your run 6-mile every day, you are impressive. For me, daily makeup wearing can be a big enough challenge amidst my single parenting. So it feels awesome to nail it. But what happens when you’ve no idea how to move from feeling overwhelmed by what’s going on to waking up eager to tackle your stuff? Likewise, what about those big things we all face every single day?
How do you tackle all the things we’re supposed to do to feel good?
Gazillions of articles are written about this on a daily basis. Open up any magazine, and you are advised to take up yoga, meditation, and exercise. Also, there are amazing supplements to help you be an excited Superman. Or, you can fast, eat no sugar, and cook from scratch to nourish, energize or heal your body. I’ve tried many of these daily practices and many do what they promise. But, you can also drive yourself a little bat-shit crazy trying to make it all work. I know I have. Because doing more stuff isn’t the answer.
None of us are capable of living the elusive ideal dream life we crave. We are all running around to do what needs to be done. As a parent, an employee, a lover, a friend, and a citizen, we are doing the best we can. Even those we admire. There just isn’t enough Bulletproof coffee to make anyone’s day that glorious.3-quick decisions to get excited about your life again.
It’s time to slow down for a moment and reconsider what’s up. To make 3 quick decisions to counteract the non-stop noise all around us. When I take on this simple exercise, it works to make my day easier. And more fun rather than stressful and one more thing to add to my To-Do list.
- Choose excitement. Choose to call it grit. Happiness. Joy. Whatever you want to feel and is appropriate for you. It’s your day – make it something you’re excited about.
- Now, go feel it.
- No matter what.
It’s really that simple. Simple, not easy. I didn’t say easy! Sure, you’re up against circumstances, responsibilities, your job. Your kid. You’ve got bills and a bum knee. The car needs to go to the mechanic and your wife is pissed with you.
But what we forget on a daily basis, is that none of those things can take your power away unless you let them. And unfortunately, no matter what, your feelings aren’t dependent upon the outcomes. Which sucks by the way. Feelings are fickle and changeable. They move like the wind. An energy inflow. Feelings have little to do with your attitude. Feelings are fleeting.
Your attitude is up to you.
Finally, your attitude and how you approach your day is up to you. That desire to feel good is 100% within your control. Luckily, that self-control is ours as opposed to the stuff of magazines and merchants. Not because all your stuff is going well. But because you and I decide how we want to feel. Today. Then we can work on our health, our goals, how we parent our kids. Those are the kind of days I nail my mascara.
I’m tired of waiting for my circumstances to make me happy.
Aren’t you? It doesn’t work. I’m also over waiting for the alarm to seduce me into feeling excited about all the stuff on my plate. But I am willing and eager to join the ranks of those who create their own joy. Who own what’s up and roll with the punches. They inspire me.
I’m not suggesting you ignore your kids or play hooky from work (unless you want to.) But I am suggesting you join those who have the stamina and grit to face their stuff with a smile. Because they declare how they’re going to do so. They’re not blind to circumstances. They just don’t wait for the stuff to be perfect to feel good.I love that. It inspires me. I get intrigued. Honored to know there are days I too can do this. Rockstar.
Besides it only starts with a very simple (not easy) question, what do you want to feel or experience? Today. Or for this next minute. The next hour. What do you dare to feel? Happiness. Excitement. Joy. No matter what? How about even honoring the pain? Instead of waiting for the stuff to make you happy to be alive, are you ready to get excited about your life again?
Pain gets tricky because we’re not wired to enjoy it. I love myself a good cry. It’s fun to revel in anger and to get jacked up on self-righteousness. Wars are won and heroes are made out of the power and fuel anger gives us. While self-righteousness fuels compassion and forces social change. Who doesn’t like that?
But when self-pity, tears, and fear take over, and you know they do, what’s really going on? Even though it may feel good (or bad) how long are you going to stay there and let yourself fall victim to what’s up? Or conversely, how long are you going to run away from feeling the dark feelings. How long. Seriously.
You can choose to feel excited about your day again.
I ask because it took me a long time to learn how to overcome my last divorce and breakup. About 7 years. Could you start to limit the amount of time you let yourself be upset? Could it be during your shower? Or while you’re journaling first thing in the morning or while you’re praying. Then, can you decide to let it go for the day?
In other words, we’re talking about a conscious, deliberate shift to feeling good. To get excited about your life again or whatever ‘feeling good’ you want to feel. Instead of being stuck in the pain. Upset. Frustration. Boredom, even inertia.
The 6-second shift.
Cool. Now go do it. It only takes 6 seconds.
Experiment and let me know what happened. Go be the scientist and the experiment. Start super small. See what might have to give to succeed at this. You’ve got it? Good! I’ll be writing more about this soon.
