“Too often we
get distracted by what’s outside our
control. The door
to the past has been
shut and the key thrown away. And
you
can’t do anything about tomorrow; it is yet to come.
However, tomorrow is determined by what you do
today. So, make
today a masterpiece.” ~
John wooden, UCLA’s Hall of Fame basketball coach
Good
morning!
I have an
interesting challenge for you to try today – or on
the next Monday. (Don’t
try it on the
weekend or while you’re off during a holiday – try it on a day that is
“representative”
of your normal day.)
Here’s how it
works.
Every two hours, take a five-minute break. Write down how much time
(percentage-wise…a
rough estimate is fine) you spent:
1. Thinking,
fretting, or regretting the past.
2.
Worrying or thinking about the future.
3. Worrying
about something that is happening today, or
something outside of your control.
4.
Taking positive, forward action today or enjoying the
moment.
Print that
little challenge and tape it to your planner on
your next “representative day” so that you don’t forget.
Why is this
important?
Well, this simple “math problem” equals the
amount of contentment and
happiness you are creating in your life.
If you spend 80 percent of your waking hours
in the top three items, you
should only expect to reach 20 percent of your “happiness level.” If you spend 50 percent of
your time on the
time three items, you can reach 50 percent of your happiness level for
that
specific day.
Your Turn:
When we
wonder why we feel stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, or
hopeless, this
is a good practice to revisit. This
“calculation”
holds our answer. Make
a concerted
effort to redirect yourself to making a positive, forward action when
you catch
yourself engaging in the top three thought patterns.
Our goal should be taking positive, forward
action at least 90 percent of the time.
Today’s Affirmation: I
let go of the past. I
am not anxious
about tomorrow…Instead, I trust in today, and enjoy today, living life
to the
fullest.
And as always, don't forget
to
start your day with a heartfelt: "Something great is
going to
happen today... I can't wait to see what it is!"
And when ending
your day ask yourself: "What is one more thing I can do
to
make today matter?
