| After observing
in others how unattractive a person became when in a bad mood , I began
to look at the bad moods I slipped into from time to time. I found that,
although an event may have triggered it, it was a conscious decision on
my part to get into the mood, and that it gave me pleasure (like a small
child experiences when they have a tantrum to get their way). However
I concluded that the price I was paying wasn't worth it, so I stopped.
That's all there was to it. I just didn't do it any more. It was a clear
decision ... there is no force out there that shapes these things, and
makes us go into a mood ... we do it to ourselves.
The real issue is who is in charge around here (of your life that is), you or some mysterious force. Once you decide you are in charge, the decision not to be in a foul mood is yours. A good test is to visualize being in a bad mood and you are told the President of the United States is outside the door and wants to talk to you. The bad mood would vanish in about a second. Low energy is the same process to me as a bad mood. When I find myself
dragging around, I take a look at how that low energy spell is robbing
me of the many fun things I could be doing, and I snap out of it. My
posture becomes more erect, my step quickens and liveliness returns
to my voice. It was not some mysterious force that caused the transformation. |
© 2002 John D. Toellner
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