It is not the cards we are dealt that decide our happiness; it is how we respond to the situation. Every turn of the road we have an opportunity to view ourselves as a victim or choose to be the hero in our own life. This is not something imaginary. As the Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert, Ph.D. details, research now shows us precisely how our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes mold our life.
With every situation we have the opportunity to see the cup as half-full or half-empty. The “half full” mind-set produces an opportunity for us to view the potential, use our imagination to find an innovative response, pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and implement change. The “half empty” mind-set just reinforces a sense of powerlessness and feeds underlying beliefs that we aren’t adequate, or capable of “making the cut.”
This is a time of great change. It is not the time to feed or reinforce a sense of powerlessness because that discourages an innovative and pro-active response. So whenever you feel stuck, overwhelmed or confused, no matter what the situation, activate your childhood curiosity. Why isn’t the situation working? Step out of your old mindset and be imaginative! What is possible? What would I really like to happen? Allow yourself to be creative! What can I do differently to encourage this new direction?
Looking at a situation in an inquisitive and non-reactive manner allows us to step out of old reactive behavior and come up with a more balanced and integrated plan of action. The I Create What I Believe exercises support this process. On the other hand,
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
Here is a marvelous video that reminds me that none of us really know what the next moment will bring. It is also a wonderful reminder that it is not the moment or the situation that matters, but rather how we choose to respond to the situation that molds our life and our experience of happiness.
http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1962
The I Create What I Believe! Program is a fantastic tool for helping us find and nurture the positive habits of thought and creativity it takes to live a life of happiness.