Good day Beloved,
Recently I had the opportunity to spend time with folks I do not get to see very often. I am glad that I took that opportunity. It was good to chat with them and I learned a thing or two that I did not know before and I dare say they could say the same. During the brief hours together, something was said that sticks with me which I will get to later.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how what we think affects our actions and attitudes. If we think and stew on something long enough, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Time to use myself as an example again. I used to think things like “this day is going to suck, it is so slow, why don’t they ask me to leave work early, oh man, why do the grumpy ones always come through my line”. I’m sure you get the point.
You know what, the longer I had to think these kinds of thoughts the less I would enjoy the day and the more I just wanted to go home. In turn the less pleasant I was to be around. I am not able to say what the trigger was but lately I have been giving myself pep talks and purposely changing the thoughts I spend time on. I try thoughts like “it does not matter how slow it is because I get paid by the hour, when it is quiet that just means I have more time to chat with the regulars who come by to see what crazy socks I am wearing today. I am blessed that my bosses trust me to run these registers by myself”. You get the point on that as well I am sure.
I am finding that even slight adjustments in thought life can provoke significant changes in how those around perceive things to be. The other day a supervisor said that I was one of the kindest people he had worked with. If you really knew me you would know how big a deal that really is. I do not take it lightly when I get a compliment. It means my internal hard work is beginning to pay dividends.
Remember the folks I started this post with? One of them said something like “every day is not a good day but there is good in every day if we are willing to do the treasure hunt to find it”. That is a good word to hang onto. We all have zero control about what our days throw at us. However, we all have 100% control over how we react throughout each day.
Sometimes that is more challenging than others due to my diagnosis, but I think it still remains true regardless. By no means am I saying that controlling our thought life is easy, but it is worth the effort. I can compare it to a dog. If a dog lives without guidance and rules and training it grows to become wild and dangerous and a real threat to all those around it. If a dog is raised with rules and training and a loving guiding hand, it will grow to become a loyal, loving companion that we can depend on in any situation that might come our way.
I am sure that if you had read much of my writing at all you understand the saying. “Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits”. What we allow to swim around in our brain makes a difference, a big difference in what we give to those around us. I am pretty sure we could all name someone whom we believe to be truly authentic as well as someone whom we believe to be nothing more than a mask wearing plastic fake.
Are you able to be honest within yourself? How do you come across to people? Beloved, are you willing to pay attention to your thought life and how it affects everything in your world? For me it can sometimes be a moment-to-moment challenge. In the long run it is worth the effort. The more I pay attention to and guide my thought life the more pleasant my days are. I find it better to be genuine with people rather than putting on a plastic mask. We are not fooling anyone but ourselves.
Beloveds are you willing to challenge yourself to pay attention? Are you willing to drop the mask if you have one readily available at all times? Are you willing to do the work to “train the puppy” in your head?
Beloved, I hope you know I am sincere and true when I say….
Beloved, have a lovely…
Mona LangmaackMelin
Mona's Monday Musings 