You Have to Ask Yourself, Are You Serious?

I would ask this question of anyone who is taking on their own personal or professional development to improve their wellbeing, relationships and performance.

“Are you serious?“

Now, for you, my students of many years, that question should wield a lot of weight and meaning. It’s just that sometimes we forget. Right? We forget we are in charge. We forget we are the ones who are making the decisions about our lives. We forget we can have bacon and eggs for breakfast or oatmeal. We just get caught up and wonder why we are eating cold waffles with hard butter on them and no syrup. It happens.

We simply forget we have more control over living than others may be aware of, or that we may be aware of at a point in time, particularly when the heat is on, when we are feeling the stress, when the walls are closing in, or when the water suddenly goes freezing cold in the shower.

Right? But we still have choices. Right? Right?

At those moments – like when the water suddenly turns to ice as we stand naked in the shower - we tend to go into survival and forget. We can’t believe we are at “do or die”, or “die or die” or “kill it if it moves”.

Isn’t that the way it is? Primitive brain kicks in and all the other options fade into the recesses of darkness, chaos and oblivion. You’re thinking, I’m standing here in a shower of ice. The lower part of my body has turned glacier. You bet someone is going to pay for this!

We have all been there. Some of us recently.

That does not mean we still don’t have choices? We just may not be seeing those choices or believe that they are available to us at that moment.

It is very tricky, isn’t it?

It is easy to see when others are in distress, when they are stuck and fighting options and opportunities. We can see it as clear as a pimple on someone else’s nose. And if you’re in right mood (or, maybe it’s the wrong mood) it can even be kind of funny. But when it’s us in the belly of the beast, it is a different thing!

What makes the difference?

You know the answer. Consistency.

Negative consistency creates descending dynamics.

Positive consistency creates ascending dynamics.

It is the things we do consistency that makes the difference in our health, mental clarity and alacrity, our emotional wellbeing and happiness, our spiritual peace and well-doing. Whether is it consistently neglectful or consistently attentive.

At this point, I would invite you to take an inventory. But this is not an inventory of your finances, the belongings in your home or what’s hidden in your glove compartment or under the driver’s seat of your car. (Is anybody asking, how did he know?)

No, this is an inventory of what you are consistently doing, day in, day out, that keeps you healthy, happy, productive and successful. And, yes, you probably already know.

• Affirmations.
• Journal.
• Planning your day in writing.
• Getting enough sleep.
• Exercise.
• Meditation.
• Prayer.
• Eating right.
• Being grateful.
• Forgiving.
• Healthy contacts with others.
• Learning something each day.
• Career goals and development.
• Serving others.

You are welcome to add your own items.

Going forward, as we consistently feed a positive mindset along with action, things happen. If things are not happening, maybe you have been in the cold shower too long. Maybe it is time to stop plotting your revenge of getting back at that very evil, wicked, wicked person who turned the water to cold while you were in the shower and move on. (Who knows? Maybe you turned the cold water on yourself. Now, wouldn’t that be a laugh!)

Maybe it is time to just lighten up, get on with positive consistent actions and habits, and move it. And by “it”, you know what I am saying.

You’ve heard that old saying, if it was simple and easy everyone would be doing. Ha! How about that? It is simple and easy. And yet most people still won’t do it. It must be something else. Maybe it’s just the cold water.