“This is going to be the best day of my life.”
Those were the words from the background music I heard while sitting in the waiting room at the dentist office. I didn’t know the name of neither the song nor the artist, but that phrase captured my attention.
As I thought about the words, I felt my mood lighten and a slight surge of energy move within me. I sat up a little straighter.
“Why not?” I thought.
Today is the only day I’m assured of having . . . why not make it the best day of my life?
I sat up even straighter. What if I started every day with that thought and remembered it throughout the day?
I realized that having the thought, that this is going to be the best day of my life, gives me permission to make it so. I don't have to understand how it will be or even believe it first. I just have to allow myself to think it. My actions will make me believe it.
What will make it so is HOW I SHOW UP…at home, at work, and in everything I do.
Since there is a growing body of evidence showing that having a positive wellbeing reduces mortality and coronary heart disease, the associated benefits go far beyond just having a great day.
Of course, we can't control all the things that are dealt to us in a day or in life. But, we can choose how we respond to whatever may we face. Between stimulus (what happens to us) and response (what we think or do) is our ability to choose, which is a powerful, unique human ability.
I'm more likely to respond in a manner that is positive and productive if, in the back of my mind, I'm programmed to make it a great day. If I wait for circumstances to always be in my favor before I'm feeling great, I'll never achieve sustained peace and joy.
We're so conditioned to think about immediate gratification and can lose sight of the fact that the seeds we plant today may show up in the future. What kinds of seeds am I planting today?
If you'd like a little more motivation to put this into practice, we are encouraged in Philippians 4:8 to "Fill your minds and meditate on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."
You might try waking up and thinking , “This is going to be the best of my life!” (Even better . . . say it out loud). Allow yourself to think it throughout the day, as well. You might be surprised that it is.
Reference:
Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(3):273-275. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.1028.