No, not my new puppy Rosie but Rosey like the glasses. You know, seeing the world through something like these?
Perception is Everything.
If you follow me on Instagram or on my Facebook page, you've hopefully noticed that this week has been all about perception. While I'm the first person to keep a strong foothold in reality, I also know that reality is very different for each person and what we see is often what we get.
You know the old question asking, "is the glass half-full or half-empty"? That's a legitimate question that you need to ask yourself. Just as the idea of seeing life through rose-colored glassed, your view of the glass tells you all you need to know about how your day and your life will flow because it really does all depend on your outlook. Let me explain...
Let's say you woke up late. You hurried through your morning routine and grabbing a Pop Tart and cup of coffee on the way out the door. As you buckle your seatbelt, you spill the coffee down your shirt and onto the seat of your brand new car.
Stressed yet? Let's stop and put on those groovy glasses that get such a bad rap.
1. You woke up. Three cheers for your autonomic nervous system and the luck of not dying overnight. Right away you're pretty damn lucky. Say thank you.
2. You had food and time to grab coffee. That Pop Tart you grabbed is absolutely nutritional garbage and tastes like sugar-filled bag of preservatives but we love them anyway and, you know what, it's food. I have students who would give their shoes for the opportunity to grab food before they leave the house.
3. You have a car. You have a NEW car. You also have money for gas and a job. Enough said.
Do you see how handy those glasses can be? All of a sudden our completely craptastic morning has turned into something to be grateful for. Let's do another scenario.
Your adorable new puppy and your three year old decided to make puppy cookies! Not only is the floor and counter covered in flower but so is the puddle of pee on the kitchen floor. You just cleaned the house and guess what, now you get to do it again.
Put the glasses back on.
Congratulations on your new puppy and on having a loving and creative three year old. You're so lucky to have a little one who is able to get up and move, to want to learn how to cook and who loves his new furry friend. Not to mention you have ingredients to cook with and you certainly must have spent some time cooking with your child in the past so you're rocking the parenting game that they knew to get the flour out. As for cleaning the floor again, you have a floor and it's not dirt! You have a mop, running water, soap, and a house! You are able to move and clean it up. Sure it's not fun but if you look at it the right way, that's an awful lot to be thankful for.
Now, no one I know immediately goes into excited anticipation of cleaning up dog-pee wet flour from their floor. It's awful, lets be honest. However, I know a lot of people that take a breath, look at the situation from a half-full perspective and decide to be grateful. The rose-colored glasses don't change the situation, they change our reaction to the situations we encounter and that changes our perception and our reality.
📷So, why even bother? Does it really matter if you see things from the positive side or is that just some hippie theory that doesn't stand up? I'm here to tell you that a positive mindset and seeing the good 100% matters and there are health benefits outside of just feeling more joy and contentment. According to the Mayo Clinic,
"Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:Increased life spanLower rates of depressionLower levels of distressGreater resistance to the common coldBetter psychological and physical well-beingBetter cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular diseaseBetter coping skills during hardships and times of stress
It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.
It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess."
But what if you just CAN'T seem to get yourself into that positive midset? If you're a human Eeyore, I've got great news. In my Life Coaching practice one of the most common complaints people bring up is their tendency to feel negative, defeated, mopey, or just to be a naysayer. These attitudes and beliefs are crushing and often difficult to stop on our own, but with the right support, accountability, and system, you can refocus on the roses and sunshine and forget about the thorns and clouds. Let's talk about what we can work on. Schedule your Breakthrough session right now! Its free and easy - I promise, there is no way you can mess it up. A 45 minute conversation on the phone is all it takes to see if you and I might work well together to get your attitude and energy up and get you feeling more joy and energy! What do you have to lose?
I have a favor to ask. Actually, I have two favors. One is that you add 10,000 Swords to your reading list and subscribe so you never miss another update. The other is that you share 10000 Swords with your friends and anyone you know and love who might benefit from an extra dose of positivity, more energy, more confidence and a healthier life. I thank you in advance for the help and for caring about them enough to allow me to share with them as well. THANK YOU for being in my tribe.
<3 Megan