If It’s Okay With You, It’s Okay With Everybody!

I want you to take a moment and think about the above statement. What does that mean to you? For me, it means, that I must take care of myself first.  For example, say we have a disagreement. If I'm in a bad place emotionally, I can't relate to you honestly. Feelings on both sides spiral out of control. But if I stop and process what's happening with my emotions, then regardless of what the issue is, I am able to discuss it clearly and succinctly. If I'm coming from a calm place, chances are, you will as well. So, it's important to take care of you and your emotions first.

How can you do that on a daily basis? What kind of activity can you do every day that will set the tone for the day and help you choose you?

Every morning I practice what I call, “8 minutes to a mindful day.” And it involves Reading, Writing and Arithmetic.

Reading: Read books that help to open the lines of communication. Whatever it is that helps guide you on a path to open and honest dialogue with yourself and the people around you, read it—whether it be a paragraph, a page or a chapter.

Writing: Writing or journaling helps to link your head to your heart. It purges your mind of yesterday and of tomorrow to allow you to be in the moment. Writing helps to keep us from beginning our day stomping all over the newness and freshness of the now “new you”—the you of today and today only. Writing helps us begin everyday anew.

Arithmetic: Do the math.

            2:00            Read

            2:00            Write

            2:00            Plan your food style to match your life style

            2:00            Walk

These 8 minutes can equal 8 pounds up or down. These 8 minutes dedicated to you can set you on a path of manifesting your heart’s desire.

You must come first. Your first choice of the day must be you. Your second choice of the day must be you.  Ask yourself “what am I thinking?” “What is my emotional status?” If your day doesn’t start out well, it certainly won’t end well. You must go back and re-choose you and your intent. You cannot cancel yourself out and expect to win. Because when we cancel ourselves out, we take ourselves out of the race. We’ve chosen to believe the lie that we will really win! Win their love, win their acceptance, their acknowledgements, their criticisms.

If we choose to open and widen the gap during the day, we will choose to close the gap the only way we know how.  The hole left there by the choices we’ve made to cancel ourselves out will be filled with food. Food has become the only true comfort and release we have chosen to give ourselves. But if you start the day with 8 minutes, just 8 minutes, and own that you have the power of choice, you can choose the day you want today and everyday.

Keep re-choosing you!