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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Thursday Thirteen #3 - 13 Levels to YES! or The Power of Positive Thinking

Today is my third wedding anniversary (and my 3rd Thirteen woo!), so we're getting ready to go out to the dinner theater tonight. This is cause for a slimmer 13 than my previous 2, and I'm going to go a bit introspective, hope that's okay. I'm kinda going out on a limb, and am afraid it will be too... I don't know, too blech. :)

Anyone who's known me for a long time knows that I'm not the most positive person ever (understatement) and that I tend to fixate on the negative (you mean there's a positive?) aspects of things. I got so tired of people telling me that I'm the only one that can make myself happy, and that I must enjoy being depressed because I am so much, etc. Then my Dad's favorite one that just sent me through the top every time was "get over it" oh, that one made me really mad! (love you Dad! he meant well lol!)

So now I'm out on my own and married to a wonderful husband who's pretty outgoing and upbeat, and I wonder how in the world and why in the world he puts up with me. Well, maybe some of his personality is rubbing off on me, I don't know. I sure hope so! At any rate, I'm staring at being laid off for the 2nd time in 2 years, and having to go find another job, a terrifying prospect, and until I survived the first time, ranked right up there in my mind with the death of a family member or some other major disaster . I know, I know, but I've been sheltered. I'm not a fan of change. ;) The point is, you can't get stuck at OMG what will I do? You can indulge in that for a little bit, but you have to move on to a plan, even if the steps are tiny. And having done that once, I gained a lot of confidence that I can do it again. So this time when I got the news, I was extremely upset of course, because I'd just found this place that I was doing good and getting along, and bam, out of job again. Now I have something like 6 months to transition my job away and stew about it. But I moved on. I decided I was tired of being depressed, so I just wasn't going to be anymore. And THAT was a major step, and kind of a revelation for me. It's not going to be easy, but I know I'll get through it, and I've decided that I don't want this situation to have that kind of power over me. It's not something I can explain to anyone else either, to help them get there, though I certainly wish I could. I think you just have to hit a wall and refuse to go down.

Today, I broke my glasses. Not a big deal, irritating yes, but it can be taken care of, and don't get me wrong, I'm miffed, but I didn't cry, and that statement right there leads me to what my 13 is about today. When the statement "But I didn't cry" becomes a statement of success in my personal growth, developement, attitude adjustment? Whatever you want to call it! it doesn't seem like a big deal, but to me it's definitely a sign that I've won, if it can't make me cry, because I cry VERY easily!

I even had to laugh when I gave blood for the first time and got my blood type back, B+, it was like a little cosmic reminder to not let it get to you!

I often give myself pep talks in the shower *blush* and I start out from something like, "I just can't do this today" and gradually work up to "It'll be fine, one step at a time, you can do it" and this range of human determination is interesting to me, we're very resilient and dynamic. I have to say that I finally can understand it when people say to me "You're the only one that can make yourself happy" and it is the truth. It's not easy, and it doesn't always work, but you have to try, and if you try, and keep trying, you'll eventually get there. You don't have to go from 0-60 in 5 seconds, take it slow, work your way up, and you'll get there. I've seen a difference in myself, because of trying, and my best advice is to just take it slow, but keep going.

so, without further ado, and thanks for getting through my rambling, here is the 13 levels to Yes that I came up with (in the shower) and yes, I did fit them to the numbers, not the other way around! LOL!

1. I can't.
2. I won't.
3. I shouldn't.
4. I don't know.
5. I'm not sure.
6. I'll think about it.
7. Maybe.
8. It's possible.
9. I'm considering it.
10. It's more than likely
11. I probably will.
12. I really want to.
13. Yes I will, and nothing can stop me!


You don't have to go from 1-13 in one step, most people probably couldn't, but even moving up one number is a win!

Thanks for stopping by (so it wasn't as slim of a 13 as I'd thought)! Hope I wasn't too TMI for ya this time! *blush*

I'm out for the evening now, but I'll catch up with you all tomorrow!


15 comments:

  1. Happy TT. Mine isn't as deep as yours, it's just examples of the color green on book covers.

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  2. I would comment but I am not that good at thinking positively.

    Sorry, couldn't help it.

    SJR
    The Pink Flamingo

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  3. Anonymous6:42 PM

    Very helpful. Thank you.

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  4. #1 - Congrats to you & your dear hubby on the anniversary. Hugs to you both!!! You're right, he is a very happy & upbeat person. I think you guys are the perfect foil for each other, though. He helps you be happier, and you help him see the reality side of some issues.

    #2 - I am so proud of you. You really are making steps in the way you see things. You might not always be Miss Suzy Sunshine (I'm Suzy, you can't really BE me!), but I think one day you will be a happy realist. (I try for this most days -- when bitterness doesn't get in the way.)

    Lots of love and hugs to you!

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  5. Anonymous7:08 PM

    I'm sorry to hear about the lay offs. My husband and I have both been through that over and over again. It's such a life changing experience. I'm glad you have a little anniversary celebration to off set that fear!

    Blessings to you - may you bounce!

    Happy TT!

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  6. That's a wonderful list. Happy anniversary!

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  7. Very interesting list.
    Happy T13!

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  8. It truly sounds like you've got a handle on this positive thinking thing. :) If you get to it read "The Secret". I found it very revealing.

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  9. I think I've used ALL of them -- sometimes in one day! LOL!

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  10. Thanks everyone, I was a little afraid this idea would have everyone going, wow, you're a kook! *blush* It was one of those things that just sounded like an awesome idea in my head, but somehow just didn't translate quite the way I imagined it when I tried to type it out! lol!

    Happy Thursday everyone!

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  11. Wonderful list. From personal experience, it is amazing what the power of positive thinking can do... Happy TT!

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  12. Happy Anniversary! And you go girl - on every little step you can make! Happy TT!

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  13. Anonymous8:13 AM

    That's pretty much my process on taking on a big writing project. I go from panic to thinking it's a challenge, to then realizing it as an opportunity.

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  14. Anonymous4:22 PM

    I do some of my best thinking in the shower.

    Happy anniversary!

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  15. You rock, Shauney. I'm proud of you and how hard you're working to be a better person. Although you were pretty darn good in the first place.

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