Kill the ANTS

Slice of Life: Day 3

 I’m still listening my way through Dr. Daniel Amen’s book, The End of Mental Illness. In today’s segment, during my morning commute, he mentioned the importance of declaring, “Today will be a great day.” By stating positive words, we’re training our brains to focus on the good things in our lives. It’s a good rule of thumb for anyone whether they consider themselves positive or negative. If there were a way to measure – maybe there is, I don’t know – I’d like to think I’d come out leaning towards the plus-side of things. An optimist. However, I have my battles with A.N.Ts. – the Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the cynical outlooks that don’t even creep into your mind but rather explode. They’re there, and you know it. Although sometimes they become so habitual, we don’t recognize them. But our behavior shines a spotlight on them anyway, affecting our relationships and, more importantly, our health.

I will do my best to declare a great day when I wake up. Amen says doing this for thirty days straight will make a noticeable improvement. In the meantime, or for today’s Slice of Life, I will generate a list of the small things in my life, those pieces of life often going unobserved in our hustle and bustle – and dare I say, stubbornness.

·       Gas is $3.91! (Okay, not off a great start. This may be more challenging than anticipated.

·       My paycheck. Without it, my gas tank remains empty. (Now I’m getting the hang of it.)

·       Coffee in the cupholder. While more out of routine than anything else, not everyone in the world has the luxury of making themselves coffee. Too many are on the streets without (actual) necessities.

·     My classroom. Not just the students but the layout. I arrive two hours before contract time every mornng. I have three large windows in my room looking out over a line of trees – which are spectacular in the fall. On most days, I can watch the sun hoisting itself up over the treeline, shining right into my room.

·       My cherry-wood desk. Like real cherry wood. As in, it was amazing no one got hurt carrying into my office. A friend, who could have sold it for a few hundred dollars, gifted it to me. I actually have room to work in my office. Love it!

·       I arrived safe and sound. This usually happens. I guess since I’m alive, it has always happened, but the fear of dying in a car accident is ever-present. I wish the A.N.T.s were the ones you could stomp on with your ten-and-half shoe or burn with a magnifying glass.

·       Six positive things before 8:15 a.m. Not bad.