Pick Up Your Damn Self

So, the news isn’t good.  The American economy is struggling and our government seems to want to spend time focusing on trivial and noncontroversial matters rather than tackle those challenges that are putting every American on edge.  It would be very easy to blame these and other issues for what ails us.  After all, the stuff we hear and read about in the news is damned depressing at times and it’s real easy for some of us to take a victim’s approach and freeze in response to the chaos that resides all around us.  

You need to shake that shit off and here’s why:  there will always be chaos and confusion because that is what life is.  There are always going to be situations or events that have the potential to cause us fear but you need to realize that YOU control your emotions!  Yes, that’s right: you can wallow in the muck of your own self-defeatist attitude or you can tell yourself that life is too damn short to be unhappy or fearful.  There is absolutely no doubt that we as individuals are not in control of everything that happens in our world, but there is equally no doubt that we can control how we respond to those happenings.  Attitude is everything.  The trick is that one’s attitude can be great one day and simply crappy the next day.  The solution is to develop ways to pick up your damn self when your attitude is wavering.  Here are some suggestions:

·         Use Positive Self-Talk – Do you ever listen to the thoughts that go on in your head?  You can control those thoughts, you know.  When you notice the negativity creeping into your cognitive processing, work to replace them with thoughts that will motivate you to push through the negativity.  For example, instead of dreading a particular task that lies in front of you, think about how good you will feel when you complete that task.  

·         Smile – It’s amazing how a simple physical act can change one’s whole perspective.  Next time you are feeling angry, or fearful, or confused, simply smile and notice how your mood changes.  Smile at others when you are out and about and notice how your smile affects them.  After all, whatever you are feeling at any moment is only temporary because situations change, and smiling can connect you to a better emotional state that can carry you through those inevitable rough spots we all encounter in our lives.  

·         Reach out – It is not at all uncommon for people to isolate when they are feeling negative emotions, and that can be beneficial for a while because sometimes we need time by ourselves to figure out how best to move ahead.  But isolation is not good for a long time because you need to surround yourself with people who will support you and encourage you to succeed, no matter what.  In addition to getting support, you will be able to lend support to others, which will only strengthen your own self-worth because helping others makes us feel good.  

·         Move – It takes energy to pick up your damn self.  Sometimes, we can get too comfortable sitting around wallowing in our own trivial tasks we tell ourselves are important, knowing full well that they are not important and the only reason we are doing them is to avoid what truly needs to be done.  Stand up, take inventory, and then figure out the one thing you can do today that will serve to move you toward a solution to at least one of your challenges.  Nothing gets accomplished without action.  So get up, do a couple of jumping jacks to get the blood flowing, and get moving.

·          Be Grateful – Although you have undoubtedly taken a few tumbles along your journey, I would bet that there are people, places, and things in your life that give you pleasure.  As I am sitting here typing this, I am witnessing the end of a day that brought me more than my share of headaches, but I also had a humorous conversation with my brother and I reached out and sent some family photos to people that I love.  Tonight, I will eat two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and then watch a bit of the Bruins playoff game against the Penguins.  I still face many challenges this week (and it’s Thursday already!), but I am thankful for the little joys that life brings me every day.  

·         Seek Inspiration – There are sources of inspiration all around you.  Trust me on this.  There are books, websites, and podcasts that are designed specifically to inspire you, and there are many examples in every community that demonstrate how people are living their dreams.    Your mission is to tap into some of the many resources available.  I’d tell you where to look specifically, but you know where to look.  Use Google.  Take a walk down the main drag in your town.  Visit a bookstore, if you can still find one.  

Well, there you have it.  I just picked up my damn self and finished this blog posting and I am feeling darn glad I did.  If I can do it, so can you!