“If we let all the negative roadblocks influence us then it’s only a matter of time before we end up detoured, lost, or possibly stranded on the side of the highway. Our positive attitude keeps our battery powered and our gas tank full, so that we can make it in one piece to our destination.”
― Lindsey Rietzsch
I find myself in an interesting place right now. I ended the year and began 2018 with renewed hope and vigor for what was to come. I set goals and high expectations for my life and personal growth. I told myself that I’m going to push harder and have a lot of fun along the way…I promised myself that my main theme for this year was a positive attitude and mindset. In a nutshell, leave the bullshit and pettiness at the door and keep it moving on my end. Well, it’s been 17 days and I’ve already found myself sliding backwards. At times I find myself reacting negatively to negative behavior and attitudes around me. It’s so easy to get frustrated and behave just as poorly as those around you and when this happens you’re a part of the problem…not the solution. As I go through my daily reflections, I think there is an intermediary step that needs to happen for me to see long lasting change and that is mastering the art of self-awareness. What I mean is that I want to place more time and energy on being aware of my reactions and conscious state so that I reflect real time with, “Why am I feeling this way, why did I do or say x, y, and z,” and then ask myself how I could have responded differently. This will force me to acknowledge my every action and be accountable at all times. No more excuses. It’s time to form new habits. My hope is that by recognizing my reactions and thought process, I can get to the point where I automatically respond in a positive manner like muscle memory. I have faith that I will in time. I also believe this is something we can all work on, as life throws some pretty tough curveballs at us all.