Monday Motivation

Something fun to start your week

Sometimes it can feel like we just flow from one emotion to another, from one reaction to another. It’s all just happening to us, and we’re along for the ride.

Well here’s a mental exercise to remind yourself that you have choices when it comes to your mood, emotions, and reactions.

Imagine that you’re driving along in a little vehicle. I’m picturing a vehicle that looks like an egg, mainly because that’s easy to draw.

You can imagine any type of vehicle you want!

OK, so your day is unfolding and you’re rolling along in your little vehicle. Here’s what to do: As things happen during the day—as you encounter different moods and thoughts—picture you and your vehicle coming to a fork in the road.

By doing this, you purposely stop to think about which path to take, rather than just mindlessly being carried away by your thoughts or emotions.

Let’s look at some examples.

Say you’re anxious about something that you can’t control, and you can’t stop worrying. In that case, the fork in the road has a pretty clear “correct path.” You just need to stop and realize you can take a better path.

But there are also forks in the road where the answer isn’t so clear. For example, say someone upset you. In that case, your choices might look like this:

You can think it through, then choose what feels right.

Another thing to keep in mind: You don’t always need to pick the route you think is “correct.” Maybe you’re in a bad mood, so you imagine the fork looking like this:

You might decide, “Actually, I just feel like being in a bad mood.”

That’s fine!

None of this is a test to pick the “right” path. The point is simply to remember that you have choices about how to think, and what actions to take.

So pick the route you want. And remember you can always change the path later if you want to. YOU are the one driving the vehicle.

One final note: All of this is totally in your control. You can create a “fork in the road” at any point during your day. About anything, big or small. By doing this, you yourself the gift of stopping, thinking, then choosing what feels right for you.

Have a great week ahead!