| Jon Acuff brilliantly calls this the soundtrack of your life. There were lots of “Aha’s” on Monday – I saw them in the comments, so go watch Monday’s show if you haven’t yet! Every show this week will be layered on top of the prior day’s show. Yesterday, we discussed creating three actions to change your own soundtrack. Remember, soundtracks are powerful – they help create the mood, the possibility, and the very idea of what a movie is about. They also create LIVES. If we are not the ones creating and orchestrating our own soundtracks, chances are we’ll inadvertently play something old and inappropriate like slapstick music during a somber moment. If your soundtrack defeats you before you even get off the couch, take a few ideas from Jon: 1. Retire your broken soundtracks. 2. Replace them with new ones. 3. Repeat them until they’re as automatic as the old ones. THIS is EXACTLY the process to start reaching your goals: 1. Choose what you’re going to listen to the most. Remember, you already know this soundtrack, this song – if I say “Bye bye Miss American Pie” … fill in the rest … see? I knew you’d get it! 2. Soundtracks create hyperfocus – so why not stop the hyperfocus on fear and focus on your DREAM, vision, and goals instead? 3. Before hitting play on your own soundtrack, ask questions: a. ls it true? b. ls it helpful? c. ls it kind? Notice that these are the exact questions we should ask if we choose to gossip or repeat something! What can we do beyond all this? David Thomas, psychologist and author, says, “We’d all love a switch, but it’s a DIAL.” A switch mentality is doomed – that’s the trigger for perfectionism. A dial mentality recognizes that the goal isn’t to stop listening forever to all those broken soundtracks, but to TURN THEM DOWN when they are too loud. Yes, we want to retire them, but it takes a minute, and it isn’t a one-and-done thing. The dial is the way to go! So how do we dial down our negative mindsets? 1. Release some serotonin. There are many ways to do this – pet the dog, get a massage, exercise, go out in the sun, think of happy memories, or meditate, for example. 2. Gratitude helps us to create a new focus. Start each day with 3 things you are grateful for. This helps to get a positive soundtrack playing in your mind for the day ahead. 3. Build something! A puzzle, Legos, K’NEX, etc. 4. Brain dump and make lists. Remember, goals are projects! (We spoke about this in January – you wouldn’t tackle cleaning your garage without a plan and a comfy pair of shoes, and goals are no different!) 5. Be your own Task Rabbit – just DO it! Walk the dog, sweep the porch, declutter a drawer – something you can start AND finish – all helps to turn down the volume AND is proof positive that YES, you can do all kinds of stuff. Your brain needs the evidence! 6. Talk about it! Community is incredibly important – just read the posts in the Hot Melt Sprint Facebook Group to see what I mean. Friends relate! They will tell you if something you’re telling yourself isn’t true, and they’ll good-naturedly “one-up you” or tell you one of their sad thoughts. |
