As I put in "R20" (20+ REQUIRED hours of study), struggling through US Naval Nuclear Power School, we wore tee shirts emblazoned with, “Illegitimi NON-carborundum.” The translation? "Don’t let the bastards get you down!"
When you and I are doing something REALLY hard, like scraping by in “Nuc” School, or keeping our commitment to make our world BETTER and SAFER, it can seem like we’re incessantly met with obstacles, challenges, and yes…bastards seeking to drag us back ‘into the bucket’.
At times it can seem like there’s some massive conspiracy against us.
Wanna know your best offensive strategy?
GRATITUDE.
Do your best in your interactions with yourself and with every external condition, thing, and person to create and maintain an internal sense of GRATITUDE.
I say “create” because, as you know, in each moment our attitudes ultimately generate our choices, actions, & behaviors.
As you're likely aware, "Be grateful," can be easy to say; however, sometimes not so easy to do.
And if CHOOSING isn’t hard enough, we've gotta also hang on (persist). Because- "what goes around comes around."
When you and I place gratitude at the FRONT of our THINKing and FEELing, it impacts our perceptions of, well, e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.
So if it's 'hard', why bother (WIIFM)?
First, when you're overtly grateful, the stuff that’s been bugging you gets smaller and smaller- even the "bastards" in your life.
Your stress lowers. Your cortisol levels drop. You THINK better, physically FEEL better, and [actually] get healthier.
Gratitude opens awareness. Awareness leads to appreciation. Appreciation generates positive energy within your Sphere of Influence to benefit everyone and everything around you, including...YOU.
You’ll begin to experience positive things in yourself, your conditions, and in others that you’ve likely never noticed before.
AND- when you put positive energy out there, “…all sorts of things occur to help you that otherwise would never have occurred.” (Thank you, William Hutchinson Murray.)
So- as we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday in the US, in concert with Illegitimi NON-Carborundum, I have a parting question relative to your attitude RIGHT NOW-
Are you having a GREAT day…or have you made other plans?
It’s YOUR choice.
In gratitude for YOU,
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