Hello World!

I know you get it. Those mornings when your first thought as you force yourself from the bed says, Do I have to?

But I’ve learned a simple little secret to offset this chronic-complaining, subconscious underminer, that gets in your head and threatens to destroy your day. I’ve trained my brain to pay attention when the term “have to” plays its old familiar and frantic message. When I take notice, I immediately change my verbiage. It’s astounding how powerfully this little switch of gears transforms my outlook and attitude.

When I realize I’m playing the “have to” recording, I quickly become intentional. By replacing one little word for another, I move my mind up. I start repeating to myself, “I get to,” and then I list the reasons this is true.

For instance, even the simple act of rolling out of bed is a “get to” moment. In 1997, I experienced a near-death situation that had me incapacitated, weak, and scared I might never feel normal again. Thankfully, I recovered fully, and my traumatic situation provided me with a whole new perspective on life.

Because of what I went through, here are five “get to’s” I don’t lose sight of:

1. Every day is another chance to do more than breathe, it’s an opportunity to make a real difference in the world I affect. I survived for a reason and I get to make each day count.
2. The ability to walk on my own is something I no longer take for granted. I get to take another step.
3. Because I wasn’t able to bathe myself for some time, a hot shower is still something I appreciate deeply. I get to enjoy the warmth and comfort of feeling clean.
4. I get to sneeze, bend over, or pick up a child with little to no pain.
5. Pain becomes purpose when you are open to what it can teach you. I not only get to live this out every day, but now, I get to pass this beautiful fact on to others.

So the next time you catch yourself grumbling those self-destructive words, “I have to,” just remember, Tending Your Dreams means getting to do things some people would give anything for. TendTalk is intentional self-talk, what are you telling yourself? Tomorrow when you wake up, say, “Hello World, what do we get to do today?”

Anita

What are you taking for granted? Come back and tell me how inserting the words “get to” in place of “have to” change your life.