Change Your Thoughts. Change Your Life

Several months ago I had errands to run downtown. I decided to get the tasks completed in between patients.

I had about two hours before my next appointment. I was certain it wouldn’t take any more than an hour, tops.

…And it would have …had it not been for the extended conversation I had with an employee at the police department. She was very pleasant and had just lost her father so, I allowed her to share her story with me.

After that, I made a mad dash to the UPS store. The line was to the door

I immediately started blaming my circumstances on outside influences.…

if I hadn’t spent so much time talking to that lady…

if there weren’t so many people in this darn store.…

The whole time I’m playing these scenarios out in my head it’s getting closer and closer to my appointment time.

What do I do?

Miss the appointment and be upset with myself all day…. While having to explain to my manager why I missed the appointment.

If it hadn’t been for these circumstances, I would have made it home in time and everything would be fine. Why did I let that lady go on and on about losing her father? Why were all these people in the store at this exact moment? Surely they could have waited...(crazy town..right?)

And then I realized it! I was thinking from the OUTSIDE IN instead of the INSIDE OUT ...and that will get you both frustrated and convinced that you have no power to change your circumstances.

So, I decided since I was the closest one to the problem I also was the closest one to the solution.

I quietly stepped out of line, walked to my car, pulled out my tablet and prepared for my appointment. It wasn’t an ideal situation but the patient was seen and treated.

I had to jot down my visit notes on an old Whataburger bag but thank goodness I had that, right? one man's garbage is another's man's treasure...

The point is …once I stopped blaming everything I’d done or not done that day on my conundrum and started focusing on what I could do to make it right ….what was in my power at that moment ….it all worked out.

I hopped out of my car…returned to a shorter line…finished up my errands and headed home

So…. last thought… positive vibes, good energy with a splash of gratitude can serve you well. It’s less about actions occurring around you and MORE about your reaction to those things that effect your mental well-being….

XoXo