What Is Going On With You - Write It Down

 

What Is Going On With You - Write It Down

 

At 40 my emotions were all over the map. Marriage problems, financial problems, work problems, you name it - I was living it. The good news was that I was seeking help and Bob was who I needed at that time.

 

I've let you know the many tools Bob gave me to get through that time in my life. One I didn't mention was writing down what was happening to me now and where I wanted to be in the near future. The near future to me is one year from now.

 

Bob didn't give me any rules on what I was to write down. His reasoning was that whatever I wrote down now was probably going to change a hour, a day, a month, etc. after I wrote it down. I still have that little notebook with my writings. Looking at it today brings back so many memories and so many things I changed for the better since then.

 

BTW, these writings are not a diary. A diary is about your daily activity. These writings are about what's going on in your life that you would like to change or that you must change or your progress to that change. 

 

It could be as simple as: "I don't feel happy today." "I need to get in touch with those feelings. "I should talk to someone about what I'm feeling. "Is this how I'm going to be feeling a year from today. "What is in my control to make sure I don't feel this way a month or a year from today."

 

You may think that writing What Is Going On With You isn't necessary. That may be true, but there is a major benefit to writing it down. Thoughts come and go. The written word is there and it's not going away. It can be reviewed later. You can decide if what you wrote is still accurate. You can decide if you want to change or update what you wrote. The written words can be shared with others so there is no misinterpretation.

 

Sooo, start today writing down What Is Going On With You. Even if it's all good stuff, the good stuff can be reviewed when things are happening in your life that's not so good. It's one tool in your tool chest that can help you through a tough time. It got me through the worst time of my life.

 

Where Will You Be Next Year

 Where Will You Be Next Year

I have a dear friend who is going through a hard time. His main problem is that he is very unhappy and doesn't feel things will get better. In my conversations with him, I asked him to write down Where Will He Be Next Year

This got me thinking about my own situation. Where Will I Be Next Year? Will I be dead ( after all, I did just have open heart surgery)? Will I be still going through rehab? Will I still be the positive energy person I always am? Will I still love life? Will I be on my River Cruise? Will I be planning my trip to Paris to see my dear friend?

Everyone says "live for today." Although, that's a good way to live your life, it's also a good thing to consider your future. Today seems much better when I think about my River Cruise and Paris. I didn't always think this way, so it's interesting what a potential, not coming out of surgery alive, can alter your thinking.

My dear friend is unhappy today. When he writes down Where He Will Be Next Year, will he still be unhappy? Will he write down the changes and tough decisions he has to make so he won't be unhappy a year from now? Will he execute those decisions/changes to make sure he is happy a year from now.

What this surgery has changed in me is that I don't want next year to be the same as this year. I've been happy for a long time now. As I said before: I love my wife, my house, my car my friends/family and my life. Why not just want the same a year from now? Well, I now want to be greedy. I want all that, and everything else that's possible for me to have.

I want my dear friend to see things the way I'm now seeing things - he deserves it. I want to take, the love of my life, on this journey with me - she deserves it. I want,

Where I'll Be Next Year Better Than This Year.