Positive Thinking In Action 3

        Looking in the mirror. This is going to be a challenge. It is very difficult to be brutally honest with and about yourself. Even tougher, you will need to check your self assessment with someone who will be gentle, but, brutally honest as well. You need to be accurate here. Are you able to see the real you?
        First, what kind of personality do you have? How do you view your world and what's happening in it? How do you usually react ?

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• Why does this always happen to me?
• This is awful.
• Who's fault is it?
• Somebody should do something about this.
• #***&^^^^%##!!!//=][{}!((((*))_

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• Wow. I was lucky that time.
• I'm gonna feel that tomorrow.
• We should get that fixed.
• That was really inappropriate.
• That was a dumb move.

        Right away, even though these are initial emotional reactions, they are indicators of the kind of person you are.  A person who has a more positive personality knows that these reactions happen, that the situation is only a small part of life, that they will do better next time. Practicing some positive self talk. A more negative personality plays the role of the victim; that maybe someone else caused this to happen, that this is the worst thing that could have ever happened, that they need to verbalize their misery to anyone and everyone. They get stuck in a negative self talk loop.
        In yesterday's spilled milk example, even though I consider myself a positive type of person, I usually react negatively. This is an inconvenience, it's difficult, it's not what I wanted... WahWahWah... However, once I finish that release, I choose a more positive, practical response. The great thing is, we can all choose how to respond.
        Of course, we have to teach ourselves how to respond in a positive way; learning to be a positive thinker.
        Next time: Choosing your response...