Part of my daily morning routine is to read 10 pages a day from a non-fiction book. (Even more so now that I started 75 Hard again a few days ago and one of the daily requirements is to do so.)
I love this routine. I choose books based on those that will help me improve my knowledge, my life, my faith, or me as a person.
I enjoy this part of my morning.
I have my coffee. I’m curled up in my comfy chair with my super soft fuzzy blanket, and usually Ozzie (my oversized, orange tabby 12-year-old cat).
My day feels off when it is not started in this manner.
One, it gives me time to process that it is morning, usually around 5:20, and that I must be up. (Mornings and I have a love/hate relationship lol). Letting my brain soak up the magic adulting juice (coffee) so I can function like a human.
Also, it starts my day off on the right track. The books I choose give me motivation to improve, whatever the aspect of my life that is. It allows me to shift my focus. (This being a big reason we added Love/Gratitude as the first task in the journal.)
The current book I’m reading has emphasized concepts we’ve shared previously, share regularly, and promote but let’s face it, sometimes we still need an outside reminder.
I picked up this book because I’ve been battling with myself regarding my discipline, getting angry at myself for acting in a way that I don’t like and then beating myself up about it but not changing the behavior.
Sidenote: It is really hard to believe you have self-worth to change behaviors when you belittle yourself constantly. There is a difference between giving yourself a little needed kick in the ass and kicking your own ass.
The book is I Declare War by Levi Lusko.
The first section of the book he is talking about declaring war on your mind.
I should make note that I don’t just read the through the books. I flag pages with little sticky tabs, I underline things that stick out to me, and make notes on my thoughts. I use my time to notice, acknowledge, consider, and/or address, certain things in my life, thoughts, behaviors, etc.
Several things that I have stuck out to me recently that I’v highlighted and wanted to share are:
“Bad things happen when you put a negative where a positive should be.”
He uses a story where he accidently put the wrong clamp on the wrong battery post when trying to jump a car; having the negative where the positive should be. (For those that don’t know, this is BAD! Like BAD, BAD!)
“If you put a negative thought where there should be a positive one, you won’t blow up, but you won’t grow up into the version of yourself that you want to be.”
“Some people call it a bad mood; I call it being held hostage by a version of myself I don’t want to be.”
It is really a bad day? Or a bad few moments, you’ve let ruin your whole day?
“Your feelings are real, but they are not the boss of you.”
When we advocate for thinking positive, we aren’t advocating for the kind of positivity that encourages naïve belief that if you just think good thoughts and tell yourself all your dreams can come true, and your life will better that it magically happens. You’ve got to put some effort into it. Not only that, but your feelings are valid, shitty things happens, sometimes life sucks, BUT they are not the boss of you.
“Your pain is just a scene; it’s not the entire movie. It is a chapter; not the book.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “In everything give thanks…” – I love the way he explains in the book that this is NOT saying BE thankful FOR everything, because somethings are just bad, sucky, terrible, tragic, life-alteringly terrible, but while you are going through those things you can “be thankful IN them.”
There is a big difference between being thankful for things and being thankful in them. Find the things you can be thankful for even in the midst of the suck.
“You can’t stop thinking about something about something by trying to stop thinking about it.”
Replace the negative with a positive. We all have been there; you tell yourself not to think about something and you just think about it more. Find something else to think about.
These things are things that I’ve known but it is a nice reminder, plus hearing them from a different perspective is a great way to reinforce the ideals.
I’ll admit, I’m only part way through this book but the things it’s been presenting to me have been a great way to start off my day, allowing me to incorporate the concepts throughout the day when my brain starts to spiral.
How do you start your day?
Where are your thought taking you?
Are they holding you hostage?
There is no shame, we have ALL been guilty of being prisoner by our thoughts but it’s time to fight back!
Ashley
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