Doldrums or Disneyland?

How much control do we actually have over our moods, energy and ultimately, our lives?I remember as a child my mother asking us to help her with the yard work on weekends. Like most children, that was the last thing we wanted to do.

We wanted to do what we wanted to do --- play, have fun, and be children.

 remember the “dread” we would feel, and the drama we’d create with our body language, dragging around like we were lifeless zombies. We weren’t being of much help. Our attitudes were one of discontent and pouting, much to my mother’s disappointment. Then, my mother said a very profound thing. Of course, I did not understand just how profound it was then. She said ---

"If I said we were going to Disneyland today, I bet you’d find all the energy you’d need, and your attitude would change immediately!” (said with motherly sarcasm, of course)

With just the mention of the word “Disneyland,” I could feel joyful energy pulsing through my veins --- just the thought of Disneyland thrilled me. And, the worst of it was --- she was right!

Oddly so, that simple and profound insight has carried me through many of my adult years. I was able to take the understanding of how I felt differently in a moment of doing the “unthinkable” on a Saturday morning, along with a glimpse into how my mind worked, and use it to my benefit.

How?

By learning that how I looked at things made a BIG difference.

 learned how to “trick” my mind by telling myself a “new story” about something I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to do. Oddly enough, it worked! And, I was suddenly moving forward doing exactly what I was resisting moments prior.

For example, I would frequently tell myself the story that unexpected guests were arriving in 15 minutes. I’d use the idea of their visit as motivation. Suddenly, I’m moving around the house, picking up toys, fluffing pillows on the couch, and touching up the restroom.

It was like magic!

Not only did my house feel better after 15 minutes, but so did I, whether or not guests showed up!

Any lackluster doldrums I was feeling were now gone, and replaced with a sense of power, and capability --- resulting in a spurt of happiness, increased energy, and less feelings of exhaustion.

Of course life is always presenting us with things that need to be done; that’s just life. The next time you find yourself faced with an “unthinkable” task, you might want to ask yourself how can I turn this around for my benefit? How will I make this “thing” I’m resisting serve me --- make me feel good - in charge - powerful - capable - energetic?

We always have a choice.

So, which is it --- Doldrums or Disneyland? That “magic” is always ours to tap into. 
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