Dangerous Twist of Thoughts

This week’s list is a dangerous and slippery slope. If I didn’t know and understand that the whole point of this book was to bring about positive change and thoughts, the topic for this week could be twisted into something negative. The book says:

“List the things you would change in your life right now if you could.”

Do you see what I mean? Some of us immediately went to complaining, myself included! “Well, I’d like to have a better car, a nicer house, a better job…”

AHHHH! Thinking about things you want to change is only a breath away from being malcontent. It’s moments like this when you have to really take your thoughts captive and focus on the ultimate goal- to make you and your life better.

Instead of thinking externally about changing other people or other situations beyond your control, think internally. Change YOURSELF!

I’m going to be very purposeful in how I write this list and you should, too. Not only are we going to cover things to change- but goals to change them. We all need goals, jack!

1. My attitude about mornings. Let’s be honest- I do NOT like getting out of bed. It’s wonderful and if I could work from there, I totally would. My jammies are soft and more comfortable than work clothes. Unfortunately, unless your last name is Hefner, the world frowns on running around in you PJs all day. When I was in college, I had a phycology teacher say that he never used an alarm clock, purpose gets him out of bed every day. WOW! That has stuck with me for over a decade. It’s my goal to remind myself every day what my purpose is and use that as motivation to pop out of bed.
2. My daily patterns. Being more productive has always been a goal of mine. If I find myself falling into a slump, getting stuck in a rut, I change my daily routine so that it’s new and fresh. It can be small. Each morning I check my If 7:14 app on my phone for today’s prayer. Twice a day, at 7:14, it sends me scriptures and something to meditate on. (This morning was Jonah 2:8,9- just sayin) It’s a good way to get going. Instead of immediately getting ready for work, I’m going to check on my midgets, say good morning, love on them, etc. It usually puts me in a better mood. I’ve also started listening to a rockin playlist while I’m getting dressed. Music is AWESOME and it helps get the blood flowing.
3. My atmosphere. This one comes down to small things with big impact. A different candle to trigger my senses, updated pictures in the frames to remind me of recent memories made, fresh centerpiece on the table to trigger a mental change of season, seasonal flowers in a vase, a playlist on Spotify that I’ve never listened to before, a different wallpaper on my computer. Do you see how each of these things can slightly manipulate the mind into thinking something big has changed? Small efforts every now and then can keep your mind from becoming bored with the scenery around you.
4. My instinctual reaction to situations. I’ve had to learn that my knee-jerk reaction to certain things is not always the best response. As my mother says, I’m an emotional creature. LOL. It works quite well in my profession as an author. Those emotions lead the way to writing good books. When it comes to other things, maybe not so much. My instinct is to take the situation from an 8 to a 10, real quick. (It never helps, trust me) Nine times out of ten, I need to take a deep breath, step away from the situation, and let the initial dramatic response fade so that I can think straight. What I would like to work on is taming that initial reaction all together so that I act with a clear head every time. (I’ll let you know how that goes. Don’t hold your breath!)

What types of things do you want to change? What steps can you take to make these changes, and what is your ultimate goal? I’d like to know…mainly so that I know I’m not the only messed up lass out there.

Happy Book Birthday to Tawdra!

My fellow A Pen & A Prayer blogger, Tawdra Kandle, has a new book out today! Please check it out and support this fabulous author. She also has some pretty great things to blog about, just sayin. This release has some giveaways, too, so go stalk her online.