Change your life with P.A.C.E.

“How you doin’ Jack (or Jill)?” I asked a recreation-center friend last week.

“Same ole, same ole,” he said.

“Come on man,” I said. “We’ve got ski season in full swing. That’s got to put a spring in your step.”

“Probably so,” he said. “But I need something new to fire me up.”

He begged the question: why do some people find great joy in living while others find endless labor in their lives?

I think many beleaguered people pick up “leftover thinking” much like they eat “leftover” vittles from Thanksgiving. While it may taste all right, it doesn’t provide the vibrancy of the initial meal.

President Thomas Jefferson once said, “We’ve got a wolf by the ears. We can’t keep him and we can’t let him go. Both options remain dangerous.”

In this fast-paced age, we may harbor “leftover thinking” such as “I’m not good enough” or “Am I enough?” or “I don’t measure up to others.”

Some great philosopher said, “We find two wolves fighting in our minds. The good wolf and the bad wolf.”

A student asked, “Which one wins?”

The teacher said, “The one you feed.”

Which leads to the question: how to you change your leftover thinking?

Remember that form follows thoughts. What you think determines how you feel. Thoughts create ideas and attitudes. No matter what your situation, you can choose to feed the wolf that will move you forward.

It’s starts with the P.A.C.E. Concept: Positive Attitude Changes Everything.

In order to become a person who relishes daily living, you enjoy the choice to create a “Positive” mindset. You may feed the “animal” in your mind with your highest and best thoughts. You may be an introvert or an extrovert. By changing your thinking, you brighten and enliven every cell in your body. By changing your thoughts to positive energy, you create a positive outcome.

“How was your weekend, dude?” a friend asked.

“Man, we danced, bicycled, played games and went to the movies,” you responded. “Can’t wait to see what happens next.”

See the difference? The world or friends or even enemies may not change, but you change in how you handle and deal with them. Another philosopher noted that the winds may shift on the ocean, but it’s how you set your sails that determines your destination.

To further your feeding the “good” wolf, you may engage the enlightened “Attitude” mindset. If it’s a rainy day, you may dance to a sunny environment by appreciating that rains bring green grass and flowers. You get to release what doesn’t work. You enjoy a choice of “atmosphere” for your day.

On a rainy day, you might dig into your favorite book, an old movie or Skype a dear friend. Feed the good “attitude” wolf inside your mind. The “sad” wolf lopes away.

Third on the list of the “good” wolf comes your choice of “Changes” mindset. By changing your thinking you change your outcome. It takes some work, however, in time, you re-groove your mindset into happy thoughts that bring happy enzymes to your cells, which translate into every aspect of your body.

Let life know you love living by making choices that benefit you at any given moment.

Finally, your first three options create the “Everything” mindset transformation. One old friend of mine said it this way, “S + R= O”. In other words, “Situation” plus your “Response” equals Outcome. That simple equation changes everything!

With these four aspects of the P.A.C.E. Concept, you may handle any drama, any world condition, any family situation, every challenge and daily living.

Finally, share a feeling of expressed gratitude daily in your meditation, prayer or quiet moments. You may be a humanist, spiritual person or very religious. Gratitude works in your mind to comfort your spirit. Appreciate the gratitude within you, in front of you, in back of you, to the left of you, to the right of you, below you and above you.

“What’s happenin’ dude (dudette)?” a friend asked.

“I’m feeling great!” you respond.

Life is good!

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