GREAT Morning Everybody!
“When it’s time for you to leave here, this job, this place, this planet: make sure it mattered that you were ever even here.”
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to teach yoga, meditation, and mindfulness to 80+ kids at a Youth Football Camp. This was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life! At the end of the class, we all sat down and I asked each kid to tell me one thing he/she was grateful for. Almost immediately, all of their hands shot up. Some of their answers were straight up inspiring. They mentioned being grateful for family, their coaches, their athletic ability, the clothes on their back, their house, football and their friends. I found it intriguing how easy it was for these 5-12 year old kids to immediately find several things they were grateful for. When I perform this activity in an adult setting of let’s say 40 people, maybe 2-3 hands go up, and oftentimes, even those individuals find it extremely difficult to think of something they are grateful for, to think of things that are going right in their lives!
Why is that? I believe it has to do with the things we tell ourselves. What we say to ourselves in the privacy of our own minds matters! Whether you realize it or not, the actions you take every moment of everyday are shaped by what you believe in! If we consistently flood our minds with negative thoughts and a can’t-do attitude, our body and mind respond accordingly. However, if we focus on everything we DO have rather than on everything we DON’T, then our actions, our behaviors will reflect this shift in perspective. We become happier. Our intentions become clearer. We are more enjoyable to be around. Our capacity to love and to be loved, grows.
If your negative thoughts or actions stem from a place of guilt or that you simply don’t deserve to be happy, think again! We ALL deserve to be happy! Guilt is a lazy energy. It doesn’t change the past and it doesn’t shape the future. Rather, love in the present!
Try this: Stop what you’re doing! Take out a pen and paper and write down 3 things you are grateful for. This can include anything and everything! Do this for 21 days (preferably upon waking up) and you will notice an elevation in your mood, happiness, and overall sense of well-being! Seems too simple to be true, I know. BUT IT ISN’T! This stuff has been scientifically proven to CHANGE LIVES!
Still a little skeptical? See below for 4 links proving what I explained above:
Enjoy what comes of today!
