Daily Gratitude: How often do we get hung up on just one thing being to blame for something we don’t like. We zoom in and focus on just that circumstance.

What we forget is that there’s a whole slew of events that must intersect for that one circumstance to occur. Why not blame all the other factors?

When traffic is slow we tend to be upset with the cars that are around us – the ones we can see. But it’s most likely not their fault that everything has slowed down. It may be an event, person or broken down vehicle miles ahead. I think we don’t get mad at that because we can’t see it – you know “out of sight, out of mind”.

Instead of blaming anyone or anything, let’s just accept what’s happening and recognize that it’s simply that many factors have come together to create this “instance”. Nothing we can do will change that so why waste energy on the negative thoughts we’re harboring.

Daily Gratitude: You fear things are going to happen and you are afraid you are not big enough to cope with the situation when it arrives. So begins the cycle of fear. We just don’t like to admit we’re afraid so we say we’re worried.

But it really is just fear. If we thought we could handle anything (either by ourselves or with help), then we’d be focusing on how to get it done, not being afraid of what will happen if we don’t do it; what other people will think; and of course, what other people will say.

It’s interesting to spend some time examining why care so much about other people. Self help gurus always say not to let that happen but you need to know how to keep those thoughts out of your head.

I think the best way is to fully belief in what you can do and what you feel is right. If you don’t have total belief, then instead of looking at others, go inside and see what’s missing? Is it a concept you had hammered into your head when you were young and maybe now you’re not so sure. Maybe it’s like a scab that’s coming off. You might find raw skin underneath which could mean you should look more closely at the issue. Or there could be fresh new skin there waiting for you to embrace it (a new belief).

Even if you’re not positive you can do something, if you have the desire and the passion to try it, then the heck with others. Babies fall all the time and we laugh at them. But they get right back up because they just hear fun (or funny) sounds. They don’t hear ridicule like we do later in life. So they just keep trying to walk or stand up.

Next time you feel yourself beginning to worry, ask yourself what’s really going on. Ask “why” over and over.

Daily Gratitude: This makes so much sense if you think about it. Especially remembering one of my favorite quotes – from William Shakespeare- “Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so.”

I’m sure you’ve had the same experience as I have. A friend or acquaintance thinks their world has ended because of something. When you look at what’s causing them so much trouble it doesn’t seem to be such a big issue to you. And vice versa – something you think is going to be the end of the world for you and others just go about their own business as if nothing is going on.

It’s all how you frame things. The perspective you have.

Ask yourself about almost everything- “what am I thinking about this?”

Then take some time to come up with the real answer. It’s often effective to ask yourself that question again. See if you can go even deeper – “what do I really think about this?” Try digging deeper for 3-5 times.

There are often layers that you have to dig through to find out that you think and even why you’re thinking it – maybe you find that you’ve been indoctrinated to think in a particular way. It’s just a habit.

Once you realize it’s a habit, you can take steps to break it. It can be freeing.

Now you can begin to change that habit and start thinking in ways you choose.