What are you thinking?

The world’s greatest minds, philosophers and spiritual leaders have all addressed our thoughts. Even Shakespeare said that things are not good or bad; it is thinking that makes them so. Have you thought about that?

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “Dr. X stresses me out!” or “Nurse Y makes me so mad!”? Well, actually, you make yourself mad and you stress yourself out. But don’t get mad at that. If you think about this, it’s very empowering to own your feelings. If you can see that the way you choose to think affects your life, your happiness and, yes, your health, then that means that you, and only you, have the power to make these things the very best they can be.

Have you ever left work talking through your teeth? You know what I mean. You grumble to yourself through clenched teeth on your drive home and mentally rehash the day you had. As you recall the insults that you had to bear or the unkindness you witnessed, you find yourself growing more and more upset. What’s your B/P doing? Your heart rate? How does your stomach feel? Yet, as you drive home, you must know that you’re all alone in your car…those people who “made you mad” are nowhere to be found, yet your thoughts have changed your physiology. Your thoughts, in a way, are making you sick!

If a thought can do this, can’t a thought also heal you? Make you feel good? Change your level of inspiration? I “think” so! Let’s do some work:

• For one day, choose to see the good in every coworker you come across…yes, even THAT one. Dig deep if you must. At the end of the day, do a self-evaluation. How did that feel? Was it easy to see the good? How fast could you go from seeing the bad to seeing the good? Is there room to improve?

• Choose one day and notice what goes well, what felt right and what you found was positive about the day. At the end of the day, ask two questions: 1) “What did I learn from today?” and 2) “What good did I accomplish or witness?” Here’s what you’ll find. You learn more from your tough days than you ever do from your easy days. There are great lessons in that which challenges us. The most beautiful coral reefs grow where the surf is roughest. Nature understands that challenges often bring out that which is most beautiful, enduring and magnificent. It is the same with us.

It has been said that if we only knew how powerful our thoughts were, we wouldn’t dare have a negative one. Our thoughts determine so much of who and what we are, yet most of us spend more time thinking about what shoes we’re going to put on our feet than about how we think. Yet our thoughts lead us to greater heights and more inspiring views than our feet could ever take us.

What do you think?

Find the good in others. Notice the good in the day. You’ll be thanking your thinking. Be well. Stay inspired.