Every morning we scramble out of bed, reaching for the coffee to get us moving and out into the world. Most do not realize that another very important even is happening in this moment. You are deciding what kind of day you are going to have.
Your commute to work is full of clogged traffic, or you discover that your coffee left a little trail of drips on your shirt. You begin at this moment to talk to yourself about the day. It may sound like this in your head: “Now I am going to be late and have a rotten day.” Or “What a crappy morning!”
In this crucial moment you have a choice to make. It is totally in your hands and in your control. You can choose your mood for the day. You do not have to wait and see what your day hands you.
- Be first
- Be pre-emptive
- Be offensive
During that long and boring commute, look around and find the positive. You have a job. You have a car. You have a reason to get up in the morning. Choosing your mood can become a habit that will change your life. But it does take practice and work. Allowing our day to tell us how it will go is the default, easy way to live. But it is not the fun way to live. It is not the smart way to live. Practicing a new way of thinking will feel un-natural at first. It may feel like you are faking. And in some aspects you are! But it is another example of “faking it until you make it”. It works.
Music is a great tool to use when changing your mood. Another tool is writing or using your imagination in the morning. Get up a few minutes early and write in a journal. Imagine the healthy productivity that the new day will hold. Write down what you hope to accomplish. Focus on the good that is ahead of you. Keep in mind that you are the boss of your mind. When the negative thoughts begin to wander in, stop them. Recognize that those bad ideas and feelings do not match up to your plan for the day. Refuse to dwell on them. Replace the negative mind-wanderings with good ideas and imaginings. You can do it. You are the boss of your mind.
It takes practice. After a month of working on controlling your thoughts, you will recognize when the negatives try to come in. It will feel wrong and unfamiliar. You can talk yourself into a bad mood or a good mood. You choose.
Susie Klein – Freelance writer – Professional Blogger