Thankful Advice

Therapy hint of the month: within 20 minutes of waking up in the morning, laugh or enjoy a bit of good news. Sure, I’d like that. But everyday? And this is the point: how you react to the possibility of starting every day with a laugh or good news will say much about who you are, or aren’t. In fact, concentrate on who you aren’t to find out more about who you are.

The answers to our lives are right there in front of us. To find the clues, reorder your thought processes. We’ve grown up shaped by our environment from parents, friends, schools and experiences, both good and bad. To adapt we’ve developed instinctive thought, that is, we tend to be positive, negative or neutral to the moments that we assume await us. But, turn this around and try the reverse. If you wake up dreading going to work, then do the opposite by thinking of the possible joys that might befall you at your job; for example, recall a compliment from someone you helped in the course of your work duties. Maybe there are no compliments—in this case open the door for someone; i.e., start somewhere.

If you are perky in the AM, then go dark and enjoy the way your psyche rejects the negativity and consider yourself lucky.

So back to laughing and good news–I’d go for that every other day. Stop. I actually am thankful for everyday that I get up and this trumps any advice I just gave you.