Misery or Mastery - The Opportunity to Change Our Relationship with The World
You’ve probably heard sayings like:
“It’s not what happens that matters but how we react to what happens (that matters)”
OR
“It’s not about the situation or the circumstance, it’s about how we handle it”
Cliche or not, there is something profound in Acknowledging that how we react to what happens around us, including how we respond to what other people say and do, says a lot about the future and our ability to thrive and master a great life!
In extreme cases, for good or bad, a momentary reaction can influence, if not shape, our entire reality - not just in that moment, but for the next 5 (10, 20) years.
From the moment we get out of bed we’re reacting (consciously or not) to what’s happening around us; and while the majority of our reactions are incidental, they do play a significant role in our future.
Simply put, that little voice in our head has a lot to say AND it’s a pretty good indicator of our ability to thrive and positively influence our performance and wellbeing.
In an environment of scarcity, it's easy to find ourselves in a habit of reacting negatively.
For many, the question “what can I learn from this” doesn’t feature as much as the “Why do these morans make my life so miserable?” or “Why is this happening to me?”.
Why do these morans make my life so miserable?
The sooner we realise there is a simple way to shift our thinking, from reaction to creation, the sooner we will realise that its possible to have a great day, every day, despite what happens around us.
The sooner we take action in our own lives, to clean up the messes and inconsistencies in our own behaviours, the sooner we can move from chaos into clarity, calm, courage, confidence and creativity… (and much much more)
The secret here is realising that while we do exist in a physical world, we do most of our living in our head and with practice we can master our thoughts, feelings and reactions.
So what is the opportunity we have to change our relationship with the world?
Well, thanks to what we know about the brain, one of the most important principles when it comes to mastering our reactions, is our Health.
You may be wondering, “What does taking care of my health have to do with mastering a great life?
Firstly, you may be surprised to discover there are 24 million listings on Google for Gut-Brain connection. Without going into detail, simply put “your gut and brain are connected physically through millions of nerves, most importantly the vagus nerve. The gut and its microbes also control inflammation and make many different compounds that can affect brain health”.
The gut-brain connection is no joke; it can link anxiety to stomach problems and vice versa.
Its no surprise then that you’ll find Health - including nutrition, movement and sleep - as the foundation of a resilient mindset and in today’s climate, resilience is the one of the hidden gems when it comes to creating a life that is congruent with our vision, values, mission and goals - and ultimately enhancing performance and wellbeing.
Taking care of our health is simple, but it’s not easy.
Whether its emotional eating, using alcohol to relax or poor nutrition thanks to the insane amount of sugar in most foods (did you know there’s 5 grams of sugar in milk!?!?), changing life-long habits is not easy.
My top three tips:
Focus on one thing at a time
If you’re removing alcohol from your diet, don’t go taking on a new exercise regime at the same time. The key to success is success itself.
Surround yourself with others who have the same goals.
It's much easier to achieve your goals when you have the support of others who are up against the same challenges and have a commitment to going beyond those challenges.
Just start.
There’s not a single person who doesn’t think about needing to take better care of their health, the only difference between those who do and those who don’t, are those who take action.
If you’d like to join me on my next 28-day challenge to take better care of your health and advance towards your goals despite uncertainty, you can register here - at only $28 for 28 days, how could you say no!
There is no time like the present.
If you’re not thriving, it’s impossible to expect anyone around us to thrive (including our employees and kids).
The 28-Day Challenge is just one way of developing mastery in living an A-Game Life - 3 Simple Practices for Disrupting the Status Quo and Achieving Your Goals
When we take action despite how we feel or what we think, we realise we are much stronger than we give ourselves credit for.
Thought of the week:
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right" - Henry Ford
