Remembering the Good (Ways to Get Out of a Funk)

“Everyday in everyway I am getting closer”
“I am the captain of my ship, the master of my destiny”
 
It is on my own accord that I have decided to take up an all-intensive yoga teacher program.
I have decided to take a 7 AM Saturday – Thursday class.  I, who believes that nothing should start before 9:30 AM.
I have purposefully paid for a class that encourages no intake of food 4 hours prior to exercise.  Yes, my favorite foods are breakfast and brunch related.  I crave cereal at all hours of the day and believe that French toast should be an afternoon snack.
I, who have absolutely little flexibility have made the choice to push my body to extreme limits to make me as flexible as possible.  I, who strains to touch my shins when bending forward decided to do a course where people not only bring their hands to the floor, but contort in various forms extending limbs beyond belief.
I, with the roving eyes and wandering mind, have signed on to take a course where success depends on a steady, quiet mind.
I, with a doctorate have decided to push that aside and take up something foreign, and unknown.  Haven’t I studied long and hard enough?!
The above points all show that I am steering my ship, my destiny against my very make up both physically speaking and personality-wise.  The above points are correct, but these are simply facts.  There is no wrong or right here.  As taught in the class in karma: there is no right, wrong, good or bad.  There just is.
I believe that as a species, human beings can and should aspire to attain anything that they choose.  As a rule, it is only smart to see the facts for what they are and determine a plan to succeed.   Yes, there are days that will be hard.  There will be days when doubt and fear creep closer to the center of your being.  I have suffered from these days and nights.
Again, taking from Napoleon Hill and Andrew Carnegie, I have learned how to fight these demons.  This is how to do it: simply reiterate your graces or positives.  At anytime you are feeling down and need a pick-me-up simply attempt this technique and you are bound to instantly feel better and forge on your day a bit more strongly.  Simply fill in the blanks to the 13 areas in your life:

  1. I am grateful for another day because: I am given the chance to get closer and closer to living my dreams
  2. I am grateful physically because: I am healthy and have a willing and able body
  3. I am grateful emotionally because: I am able to identify my emotions
  4. I am grateful spiritually because: I can recognize the existence of something greater and wonderful exists in everyday items
  5. I am grateful financially because: I am able to take time off of work and live in the lifestyle that I am accustomed to while doing the things needed to get closer to living my dreams
  6. I am grateful professionally because: I can do what makes me happy and call it a job
  7. I am grateful mentally because: I have the ability to grasp knowledge
  8. I am grateful education-wise because: I know the importance of learning and growing and have succeeded in learning new things daily.  Next month I will take up a dance.
  9. I am grateful of my hobbies because: of travelling I am able to experience all this world has to offer
  10. I am grateful of my family because: I know that regardless of anything I will always have their love and support
  11. I am grateful of my friendship relationships because: regardless of where I am in the world I never feel alone
  12. I am grateful of my romantic relationship because: the greatest gift is to love and be lived in return