June 17, 2020 Thoughts

June 17, 2020 Thoughts?
Things I've been learning through the Habits of Health Transformational System:
Reframing our narrative. Is the world happening TO me or FOR me?
This has been a recurring theme in my life these last few years, and I've been asking myself this question almost every morning recently in order to frame my mindset for the rest of the day. Some days I dip into uncertainty, fear, doubt, and feeling a sense of "helplessness" but I'm getting much more adept at identifying that "feeling", that set of emotions that can begin to settle in (they have a very distinct vibe, a unique signature of thoughts and emotions) and I've been practicing the skill of intentionally choosing to "shift" my state out of those emotions and thoughts and back into gratitude and growth.
Today I am grateful for the life I have and the opportunities God has given me to contend (not struggle, CONTEND), and to overcome. Without challenges, there would be no overcoming, right? Without obstacles there would be no compelling story, right?
Before someone cared enough about me to share this amazing process/program with me, I pretty much lived in a state of victimhood. I spent several decades of my adult life being angry. Angry at myself, angry at others, even angry at God.
But now, through these last years of choosing to align myself with the amazing people here and this amazing mission of hope and health I KNOW that I DO have an active role in fashioning my own personal health and well being, and it's my responsibility to invite others onto this path, too. How can I NOT?
And this I know: The story I write can either be an inspiring story of courage and grit, like the Gladiator, Secretariat, or Shawshank Redemption (a few of my favorite movies), or it can be a Greek tragedy.
It's up to me.
It's my choice, as the author.
I was born with free will, and that includes the freedom to choose how I will think, what habits of thought I will develop.
Yes things do happen in this world which are beyond my control, and events and circumstances which directly and indirectly effect and impact me and my family in very real ways. It's HOW I VIEW and interpret these events, the choices I make and the actions I take as a result of the meaning I've chosen to ascribe to these events, which determine whether I'm being a victim or a victor.
What CAN I control? I CAN  control how I show up in this epic story of my life. How I show up for myself, how I show up for my family, my neighbors, and the world.
So that is the question I ask myself every morning, "How will I choose to show up TODAY in my life and in the lives of others?"
I choose to make this year the best year yet. I choose to make this day the best day yet. I choose to make this hour the best hour yet. I choose to make my NOW the best NOW yet.
It's a process, it's a journey, and I am so grateful DAILY for Dr. A and this amazing community.