We’ve all had the experience of exaggerating our negative feelings, yes? This great story will stick in your memory as a reminder to Re-THINK! and Choose Better Thoughts.
The 24 Hour Perspective
Not long ago I woke up with a feeling that everything started to just go wrong! I remember thinking, “Why is everyone against me!” Then I stopped and thought, “Wait a minute! Not “everyone” is against me!”
I grabbed a note pad and started writing down the names of everyone that was openly resisting my efforts to just live in peace and joy. Three….That’s right - 3 people! Then I thought about how many people were “in favor” of me and supported me in some way. Double digits! Then I thought globally. Most people don’t even know I exist and out of the ones that do know me and have some interaction with me they remain involved in their own lives and are basically “neutral” toward me.
Then I started thinking about how out of ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE EARTH only 3 people resisted me and how much time did I spend a day interacting with these three people? On even the worst days, I couldn’t think of more than a few minutes of actual interaction.
So then I thought about ALL THE NEGATIVE ENCOUNTERS that I had in a single day. You know everything from the guy who cuts you off in traffic to the rude comment by someone I don’t even know. I was hard pressed on even the WORST day to find more than 5-15 minutes of actual interaction with unpleasant people a day!
This reality hit me with insight! There have been times when my 24 hour day has been ruined by 15 minutes (and in most cases less than 15 minutes) a day of actual interaction with negative people! How could that be possible? I survived the 15 minutes so why did this ruin my entire day? Even when I was “cussed” and “cursed” the words didn’t hurt me and the curses never came to pass. Everything that was spoken against me was a threat and did not manifest as a reality! How could something as false and “unreal” as a “threat” ruin my day?
The answer is simple. The threat got into my own thinking and contaminated my mind. People annoyed me for less than 15 minutes and I annoyed myself in my thinking for 23 hours 45 minutes or more a day and I ruined my day! Now I have learned to put my focus on the positives in my life and to be grateful for all that I have!
Life is all about choices.
Re-THINK! and Choose Better Thoughts.
I don’t know the origination of this story yet it could be any of ours. Especially when on a job search, how many times do you experience resistance and you let that become a generalization for your whole day. In many cases I see people become disempowered for not only a day…weeks and even months. Re-THINK and take your power back!
Grab a piece of paper and just like in the story, see what is real and put things in proper perspective.
Now, take a look in your life and find at least one person you can teach this story to. Pay it forward! It will help you to remember it if you engage with this powerful insight beyond a quick reading. Teach someone and lock it in. This way you will never forget this lesson.
