Every day and every moment of your life, you have a choice to make. Will you be an energy giver or an energy taker? Or as the late Dr. Randy Pausch explained in “The Last Lecture,” are you Tigger or Eyeore? If you can choose to accept circumstances for what they are and assume responsibility for your reactions, you will lead a more peaceful and balanced life. Your general disposition is a choice that not only affects you but also those nearest you. Below are a few tips to help you improve your general disposition, regardless of your life circumstances.
First, observe your reactions. Spend a week simply noting your reactions to people, places, things, and circumstances. What are the things that create fear, anxiety, frustration, or other negative emotions? How do they permeate your mood? Does it linger? Share your observations with a trusted friend, colleague, or significant other.
Second, assess your disposition. How do your reactions impact your general mood for the next minute, hour, day or week? Is this logical? As the Dalai Lama once said, “if you have a fear or anxiety, you should examine it. If there is something you can do about it, why worry. If there is nothing you can do about it, why worry.” Assess, how your reactions are or are not serving you and others close to you.
Finally, as we say at CEEK, ‘Take the Conn.’ Plan an alternative response to undesired reactions. Engage a trusted friend, colleague, or partner to hold you accountable. Assess the impact on your general mood and disposition. Reward success and acknowledge the occasional failure. Over time, you will build a new habit. Choose to be a Tigger!
