Daily Gratitude: You don’t even have to have a goal of wanting to he extraordinary to use this “tip”. Next time you think about doing something, think of whether there is just a little more you can do. If not, that’s ok. At least thinking about it will get those “brain muscles” working. If there is something, though, do it but just file it away in your mind or in a private journal as “extras”. Don’t brag about it or even mention it to anyone. Just do it. The more you try that little extra, the better it will feel and the better something feels, the more you’ll want to do it. Write about it privately and write how it made you feel. Then think about what tiny bit more you can do and so on. Keep this up and your life and your attitude will markedly improve.

Daily Gratitude: This one saying is something that can help us through many a tough time. Here’s where we have to use our conscious brain to help us separate what’s going on around us. We have to he able to examine our circumstances and our feelings to determine if safety or comfort is the issue. Once we know that, we can respond appropriately. If we are safe, then we can address the discomfort and remember that most of the time growth requires some discomfort or it won’t happen. By making the distinction that you are safe, it becomes easier for your brain to behave in a rational manner. If your brain thinks you’re unsafe, the primal functions will kick in and during that time, the cognitive portions of your brain are not working well, if at all. Often all it takes is your analyzing the situation and then telling your brain “we (or you) are safe. There is no danger”. I remember saying this repeatedly and even creating a song incorporating it, during one vol state race when the nerve pain in my back was intense. It didn’t take the nerve pain away completely but it definitely helped. Copy this saying down and put it somewhere you can always gaze upon it and then remember that your brain needs to know the same thing.

Daily Gratitude: I used to avoid change like the plague. I’ve improved some but nowhere near what I’d like. It’s hard for me to adapt a “happy” face when I say or write the word “change”. But, the word “flexibility” has a nice ring to it so it’s something i can hold on to. If I look at a situation as one where I need to evoke my flexibility, then it’s a challenge I don’t mind accepting. It’s a viewpoint. If I look at a change in my plans, let’s say because the airline messed up the flights, I get upset. But if I look at this same situation as “I am a flexible person so how will I demonstrate my flexibility in getting to my destination”, it’s less painful. As I write this I think it boils down to a sense of control (no surprise there). Notice I said a sense of control, not actual control. Both viewpoints involve someone else determining my “fate” but the first one (thinking about it as change) is me having something imposed on me without any input from me (how dare they). The second viewpoint (flexibility) means I am doing something different with the emphasis on the three simple words “I” and “am doing”. My response (being flexible) is within my control. The situation isn’t. This isn’t a bad thing. It’s an adaptation that’s part of the human experience (the need for control). Even if you’re shaking your head saying “why dont you just let go?”, my answer is that that’s flexibility- letting go is a response and again, that is within your control. Looking at it this way may help you overcome any persistent resistance to change that you may have.