“You didn’t wake up today to be average!” – Alek Toussaint, instructor @onepelotonHow often have you gotten out of bed and said to yourself, “Today, I think I’ll just be average.”?
While you may have never said those words exactly, I’m going to challenge you a little. I bet you’ve said some things to yourself or had thoughts that have made you feel average or maybe even less than.
I know I sure have. Things that put me in a tailspin, made me cranky or supported my shrinking physically.
Like when I “chewed” on someone’s critical comment until the flavor was gone. Or when I stuffed my own feelings until I was about to explode. All because I feared that I’d royally tick someone off. “Hello, Average! Come on in, grab a cup of coffee and stay awhile.”
We’re human. It’s bound to happen. As Dr. Rick Hanson, author of the Buddha’s Brain explains in his many articles and books, our brains are wired to experience negative thoughts. It’s called “negative bias”.
But here’s the real deal, regardless of the negative bias we may experience, none of us were born to be average. We weren’t. We just sometimes choose to be, and maybe not even intentionally.
Just like we choose what to wear every day, we get to choose how we want to show up. We get to choose to be…
bold
brave
funny
kind
cranky
small
average
exceptional
awesome
not enough
<fill in the blank>
What’s important here is recognizing that we get to choose. It’s that choice that makes what may be an unconscious way of showing up, conscious and intentional. Which in all reality, is a pretty cool and powerful place to come from.
Less auto piloting through the day.
Less just allowing things to happen to us.
Less allowing other people’s moods, behavior, actions, etc to become ours.
Less self-critical commentary.
Instead, we’re in the driver’s seat determining where we go, what we experience, what we see, what we feel and the impact we wish to have on the world around us.
BEING INTENTIONAL TO AVOID BEING AVERAGE
So, if you’re ready to kick average to the curb, I’d love to offer the following to experiment with.
Intentionally tune-in to what you’re saying. Our minds don’t know fact from fiction. Our minds believe what we tell them. So, if you find that you’re saying some pretty crappy things to yourself, just stop and change your focus. That’s it. You don’t have to change the dialog, unless you want to. The important thing is stopping the negative commentary and switching your focus to something else that makes you feel better. For example, I love to switch my focus to my puppies. It’s hard not to feel good when I’m going in for some puppy cuddles.
Intentionally ask, “How do I want to show up today?” Before you get out of bed ask yourself this question. Then think of one thing you’re committed to doing that will help you to show up in that way. For example, if I’m wanting to show up full of positive energy, I’ll commit to any of the following…
– steering clear of negative conversations
– staying away from the news for the day
– staying off of Facebook
– getting outside
– eating well
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN…
How do you want to show up today? Remember, you get to choose so have some fun being intentional.
Until next time, I send you all much peace, love, and light!