If you’re going through a tough time right now (and many of us are), here is a suggestion for how to reframe the way you talk about it to yourself and others.
I learned this from Rob Bell in a RobCast episode. The two words you might want to add into any description of your current state, if it is not a state you like, are “right now.”
Whatever crappy situation you are going through won’t feel like it will potentially last forever when you add “right now.”
You might be thinking, wow, I am really broke. That feels so heavy and fatalistic. If you say, wow, I am really broke right now, it doesn’t seem like your whole life is going to be like that. You might even drop into creative problem-solving as to how to fix it, or find some humor in your situation.
Problem-solving and trying to see the humor in your situation are much more constructive than beating yourself up.
You may feel a little stressed as you try on your summer clothes if you live somewhere that gets cold. You might be tempted to say mean things to yourself and call yourself unhelpful names. Try reframing with something kinder and add right now to it.
Sure, you may feel like you need to drop a few pounds, but that can be done. It’s not the end of the world. Start doing whatever you need to do to feel more fit right now. Eat a healthy meal. Move your body.
Now is all we can control. That you spent too much time on your couch over the winter has already happened and there isn’t anything you can do about that. But you can control how you talk to yourself and what you do to start addressing the situation.
Beating yourself up will just make you feel terrible, which is not motivating. You can change your life. Nothing stays the same, so start making changes for the better.
Try to stay in the now because now is all we have.
Photo byKomarov Egor 🇺🇦 onUnsplash