One step up the feeling-good ladder

You know what it feels like when you have a shitty day. And you so wish it would get better, but most often you’re waiting for something outside of you to shift. Don’t. Wherever you are on the feeling-shit to feeling-awesome ladder right now, YOU are the one in control of shifting it.

And here’s the thing: don’t be unrealistic by wanting shit to become shine in a second – take one step at a time. That’s also why it can be annoying with a well-meaning friend on a much more positive radio channel wanting you to ‘think positive’. Just because they are able to reach that frequency right now doesn’t mean you can reach it – this is where the positive psychology movement can be misunderstood. Take the step that’s available to YOU right now – and it will make a difference.

Here are the simple steps: 1) Reach for the best-feeling thought you can come up with right now. This will switch the radio channel you’re currently listening to one step up. 2) Notice the shift and relief as you allow a better-feeling-thought and let go of what you were feeling just a moment ago. 3) Do this little game as many times a day you want and need to.

The beauty of focusing on where you are right now and the step or state you choose right now is keeping things simple.

We all have baggage, we all have lots of external factors impacting our ability right now. But instead of focusing on the past and the externals, set yourself up like a GPS: ask where you are now and where you want to go! The only thing that matters at this moment is your current location and the destination. Just like the GPS doesn’t ask where you have been or why you were there for so long, don’t clog up your thoughts with all the water under the bridge. Focus on now and the next possible step for you.

We don’t want you to mask your feelings. It’s not putting a happy face sticker on your fuel indicator to hide it’s empty. Appreciate where on the scale you are right now and focus on choosing a better-feeling thought, one step up the ladder.

Don’t try controlling your environment, others and external factors. Focus on your own state, move that state to a higher level – and focus on what you want instead of focusing on everything around you that’s NOT how you want it yet. What you focus on you get more of, you know!!

It’s a classic that we always link our ideal state to something external: when I get X I will feel better. When Y does Z, I will feel better. This is not the way! Instead, choose deliberately a better-feeling-thought right now! This will change the way you look at what’s surrounding you.

And finally, here comes the most important part: be playful about it. The more you see it as another task, another thing to fix, the harder you’re making it for yourself to release and let go. Have fun (or whatever version of that is within your reach)!