Spooky.
I just wanted to type Spooky because it is Halloween.
Many bloggers and content creators use a successful technique of sharing ‘tips’ that allow the reader to move toward a problem within a mutual area of interest.
In case you missed it, my area of interest is personal wellbeing.
In Denver, it may feel as if the 2020 delight is amping up again. In this blog post, I’d like to share three wellbeing ‘tips’ to position yourself ahead of it. Insert Samantha Jones spin on the popular saying: ‘_____ me badly once, shame on you….twice? shame on me!’ And for the record…I would vote YES on eradicating the phrase ‘shame on _____’ from language use…but it’s a funny quote.
TIP #1: Create.
Often it is easier to notice the problem than the solution. And this may be one of the ‘not smartest’ sentences I have written because ‘duh’ if there was no problem there would not be a solution. Focus is the word we are looking for: it is easier to focus on the problem than to shift one’s focus to a solution. In the world of oppositional forces, if we can become aware of the problem, we can flip it to discover a possible solution. Abraham-Hicks teaches me over and over again that when we know what we don’t want, it gives us valuable information for what we do want. When we notice discomfort in the form of ‘too much’, especially when it comes to consuming: too much food, too much media, too much INPUT. Rather than focusing on the perceived enemy of the ‘binge’, we can be curious about the balance. If I notice too much consumption, the valuable data it gives me is that I am out of balance with its opposing force of creativity. To balance out the consumption, I can choose to create. Create is a word. To create is to develop an idea. A design. To design new ideas. To create an opinion. To bring it to ‘life’. To create is to contribute. To be ‘part of’. If Covid pt 1 knocked you breathless, can you get ahead of another round? If we broke down Covid to its least common denominator, would it resonate with uncertainty? unexpected? Will uncertainty and unexpected happen again in your lifetime? Yes. Yes it will. By being curious about how to get ahead of another shut down, we can practice the skills, tools, and strategies that allow us to get ahead of the unexpected in day to day. To expect the unexpected is to get ahead of the ‘spook’. (I worked in Spook – unexpectedly)
TIP #2: Control.
Can I control my attitude? Yes. Yes I can. And if you happen to be reading this and it makes you feel more OUT of control by the suggestion that you SHOULD be able to be in control: No. Maybe not now. Big Feelings want to be in control and it feels impossible when they show up. Big Feelings carry crazy momentum. For the majority of us that can recognize a choice in attitude – if we can practice choosing a balanced perspective, we can support those who have more difficulty managing Big Feelings. We can contribute to a more balanced social environment that allows those who experience difficulty in finding balance a soothing setpoint to potentially resonate with, or at least not react to. I can control my attitude by getting out ahead of it and intentionally taking time to remind myself that I have focus. I can choose what I focus on. A few weeks ago I published some content that referenced a fun podcast that my neighbor and I are developing. The essence of the podcast is basically two questions: what do you consider your biggest accomplishment in the last week? what are you looking forward to accomplishing in the next week? If you allowed time to yourself one day a week to be curious about your answer to those two questions, that alone can train your focus toward growth. By naming an accomplishment, you validate yourself as a contributing human. By looking forward to what you desire, you are CREATING your own desired outcomes. How is that for balance?
Here is one of my favorite quotes about attitude:
TIP #3 Curious.
Can you be curious about your own data?
Here is a ‘report card’ I referenced in a recent Sunday Story @sallysifer about using Martin Seligman’s happiness acronym PERMA as a report card for reflection. Can you reflect on the results that are showing up in your life? Data is a constant. Feedback is consistent. Practicing self-awareness allows one to notice what is showing up in the day to day and reflecting on the data. Here is a little report card for curiosity. I added an additional ‘report card’ based on essential learning outcomes developed by Dr William Spady (and shared on Amy Breeze Cooper’s Soul Path Parenting podcast).
PS. I am on board with these tips. I am an active participant.
day. 