November 25, 2009 by Dr. Jim Mullins
Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.
–Carl Brad
I like Brad’s perspective for several reasons. First, looking backward rarely helps us. When we concentrate on our past, we miss current opportunities, sometimes with disastrous results. The TV show America’s Funniest Videos, for instance, is full of clips of people riding bikes while looking backwards and then crashing. And, police accident reports are replete with stories of distractions that caused damage to both people and property. Focusing on the past while moving forward is never a good strategy.
Brad’s quotation also reminds me of our ability to imagine and create a different future for ourselves and others. Reality is indeed open ended, so we are not stuck with a predetermined future. Our efforts today can and do make our pathways better and brighter. We truly can change situations and ourselves.
Furthermore, I like the statement’s emphasis on today. While the past is gone and the future has not arrived, today is here. My work is in the present moment. I don’t have to wait for the perfect moment, great conditions, an ideal situation or anything else. I can begin my journey to a better future right now.
CHAMPS take the first step.
Posted in Daily Life, Happiness, Vision | Tagged Daily Life, goals, Happiness, inspirational, life, motivation, Optimism, outlook, proverb, proverbs, quotes, sayings, stories, wisdom | Leave a Comment »
November 6, 2009 by Dr. Jim Mullins
I have a friend whose mornings are recurrent catastrophes. He creates these maelstroms by setting his alarm to go off as late as he possibly can. His goal is to enjoy those last few moments of sleep and still get to work on time. As a result, he jerks awake each morning at the alarm’s raucous call, rubs the sleep from his eyes and jumps out of bed. He rushes to shower, shave, dress, and grab some coffee and a bagel. Then, he runs out the door to his car, drives to work as fast as traffic will allow and careens into the parking lot. Finally, he hurries into his office and usually collapses at his desk just in time for work to begin.
But that’s not all. By mid morning, exhaustion clouds both his thinking and activities. After a very full day of work, he drags himself home in the evening, bemoaning the heavy load he carries. Though my friend seems to plan his life for that morning rush, he often complains about how hectic and chaotic his life has become.
Mornings are a crucial time for us. They set the tone for our days, mentally, emotionally and physically. Taking time for a little reverie early can energize our lives into productive performance throughout the hours that follow. This probably requires arising from sleep earlier in order to have the time to reflect and order the coming day.
Medical professionals recommend starting with a good breakfast. Others extol times of meditation or exercise. I have developed the practice of choosing books to read in the early morning hours, the only time of my day that I can control what I am thinking.
When we are refreshed in the morning, we can meet the day’s challenges with equanimity, thoughtfulness and vigor, using a positive attitude to respond to our circumstances.
CHAMPS greet the morning with a song.
Posted in Daily Life, Work | Tagged alertness, benefits of waking up early, Daily Life, effectiveness, energy, exhaustion, lessons, life, mental awareness, morning, motivation, performance, Personal Stories, productivity, proverbs, quotes, Real Life, reflections, refresh, sayings, wisdom, Work | Leave a Comment »
August 28, 2009 by Dr. Jim Mullins
A new workday morning had dawned, and I was on the road headed for the office. Suddenly, a bright yellow light on the dashboard caught my attention. My heart sank. It was the check engine light. The hassle of dropping the car off at the dealership, getting a ride to work, waiting for the obviously bad news, and then returning after work to pay for and pick up the car loomed before me. I wanted to ignore that nasty light and keep driving, hoping it was a mistake.
I saw a stop sign ahead. “I’ll stop, turn off the engine and restart the car,” I thought to myself. “Maybe the light won’t reappear.” Unfortunately, when the engine hummed to life, the light blinked on and glared at me more brightly than before. I gulped, changed direction and took the car to the garage for repairs.
The knowledge that my wallet would likely be considerably lighter by late afternoon clouded my day at the office. However, I was pleasantly surprised. When I picked the car up, the mechanic smiled. “It was only a small split in a secondary air pump hose,” he explained. “We were able to re-cut and re-clamp it in place with no trouble. In fact, it won’t cost you a thing!”
“Thanks a lot!” I replied and heaved a quiet sigh of relief—though I had no clue what a “secondary air pump hose” was.
As I drove myself home, I thought, “I wasted a lot of energy today worrying about a lot of nothing. I’m glad that this episode is finished.”
Doing the difficult sooner rather than later has always been fruitful.
CHAMPS do the hard thing first.
Posted in Daily Life, Work | Tagged Daily Life, Happiness, hard work, motivation, Optimism, outlook, problems, productivity, Work | Leave a Comment »