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Diet & Nutrition

2010-07-01 12:50:00

Positive steps

Answer: Your thoughts are in your control, and therefore your day is in your control. That’s right, no one and nothing can "make you" have a bad day. You get to decide how the day will affect you. There are four steps to assure a positive outlook. I read about these steps years ago in a book by Norman Vincent Peele called "Enthusiasm Makes the Difference" and the principles affect me still today. The steps are think a good day, thank a good day, plan a good day, pray a good day. Let’s look at each one.

Thinking a good day happens at the day’s very beginning. Before life’s noises begin; take a moment to picture the day. Picture the people you will come in contact with. Picture the situations you know you’ll be in. Picture your day going smoothly. See yourself moving through your day, greeting people with a smile, making decisions, and handling challenges effectively. See clearly with your mind’s eye the calm you feel as you work through your day. Sound hokey. That’s ok. Make an effort to practice it, and I guarantee your day will go more smoothly. Remember you attract what you think about, so if you’re thinking about how grouchy that co-worker is, or how hectic the day will be; you can be assured you’ll be annoyed by your co-worker and your day will drown in chaos. On the other hand, think about the day positively and your day will hand you positive results. Thank a good day. Say thank you out loud for the great day you’re about to have. Zig Zigler calls that "telling the truth in advance." The act of speaking out loud reinforces the ideas formed in your mind. Thanking God for the day He’s about to give you solidifies your faith and reframes your focus on making the day the best it can be. Problems become challenges, and doubts become assurance and confidence. Plan a good day. Plan ahead for situations you know you’ll encounter. Take that perpetually grumpy co-worker for example; plan what you can say or do for that person that will affect how you look at them and perhaps affect their reactions. You’d be surprised at how far a simple smile or sincere compliment will go, given on a consistent basis. If you know you have many things to do today, think through them. Prioritize them, delegate what you can, group the like things together, and know with purpose how each will be handled. This process takes about 10 minutes at the beginning of the day and will save you hours of frustration. Pray a good day. Asking God to give you wisdom for the day, and ability to handle anything else unplanned that will certainly come up, guarantees the day’s outcome. Tackling the day alone translates into feeling overwhelmed; holding the hand of the Creator translates into peace. Inviting God to take the wheel assures you’ll get where you need to go. There you have it; the steps you need to set your mind positively for the day and attract positive results. By clearly picturing the day in a positive frame, thanking God out loud for the positive day you’re about to have, planning for things you know will be in your path, and committing your day to the Master of positive thought, you’ll be ready to create the best day of your life, every day. Lisa Vermillion is President and co-owner of Get Fit Be Fit and Thin and Healthy Weight Management. Lisa opened Get Fit in 2000 in Valley Center, after receiving certifications through the American Council on Exercise as a Weight and Lifestyle Management Consultant and Certified Personal Trainer. In January of 2005, she grand opened Thin and Healthy Weight Management in the same location. Lisa not only provides weight loss programs for individuals but she also implements business wellness programs for small businesses and large corporations. Additionally, Lisa is a Certified Life Coach providing guidance for individuals in the areas of career, relationship and personal development. She is available for speaking engagements in the areas of Physical Fitness, Weight Management, or any Life Coaching area (goal setting, positive attitude, sales, etc). If you would like help getting started achieving your goals right away, losing weight, improving your financial picture, or strengthening your relationships please call Lisa. She would welcome the opportunity to help you get started. Lisa can be reached for questions or speaking engagements by phone (316) 755-1115 or e-mail at mvmillion@yahoo.com.