There’s no ‘i’ in team: what happens when we apply good sportsmanship

Ouch. That’s the sound of conviction. For me, it often transpires during my morning quiet time. I read a quote or scripture and realize, once again, that I fall short. For instance, in one breath I push an attitude of gratitude, but in the next I grumble when I don’t get my way. The most recent “my bad” happened while my partner of 30 years and I were in the middle of planning a getaway to celebrate our wedding anniversary later this year. While studying the topic of pride, I watched the entire play unfold as if in instant replay—with me in center field—and it wasn’t pretty. You see, all of a sudden it had become “my anniversary” and what “I want.” Yet for three decades, now, my husband and I have shared a partnership based, primarily, on good sportsmanship. What does this look like? The ability to take turns. Cheer each other on. Compromise when necessary. And play fair for the win.

Got team spirit?

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Monday’s got me like oh. My. Gosh.

Have I mentioned I can’t even? My mojo-with-a-twist intentions out the window faster than the weekend flew by, I realize one thing: I need to get it together ASAP. Apply, with abundance, positive affirmations to my day—my life—and get a grip. It’s one thing to tout an attitude of gratitude, it’s another to live it. Plus it’s not getting any easier. In fact, more often than not, I want to call in sick. From the mundane to the earth-shattering, I just can’t seem to walk the talk. I wrestle with my demons. I struggle with my monkey mind. I’m tired. Yet I hesitate to be real, to be honest. Because it’s not attractive. And someone else lives with a much harder row to hoe than I do. But then I run across my “Rx for a woe-is-me mentality:” If you always see the negative side of things, eventually that’s all there is. Reality check: thank God tomorrow is a new day.

How do you survive Mondays?

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Mojo with a twist: positive affirmations

The last day of my 30-Day Reboot Challenge came and went with very little fanfare. Maybe because I got off track at times. Regardless, one of the biggest revelations to me was that the words we speak about ourselves—whether in our own minds or while talking with others—affect not only our psyches (mental and emotional), but also our physicality. I tested the theory of positive affirmations in the hot room one afternoon during yoga: I wore a top that reads “Strong is the new skinny” and I stared at that shirt for the next 90 minutes. This affirmation of strength resonated throughout the following 90 minutes and my body responded with a strong, grounded practice. But it doesn’t end with positivity. We also limit our success with the words (and thoughts) we entertain that devalue or restrict our capabilities (see The Language of Limitation and Hate-Speak). Let’s make a pact today: to speak self-love. And then witness a powerful transformation.

What does your self-speak sound like?

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Interrupting the flow: Now what?

You’ve gotten your mojo back on track. You’ve adopted a daily (maybe hourly) mantra that helps you stay focused. You challenge yourself every day (to be better than you were yesterday). You’re on a mission to be grateful for the little—and big—things in life. But now you find your flow interrupted. In other words, you’ve gotten off track. That happened to me last week. “I need a break,” I said to no one in particular. “From what?” my friend asked me. “From everything!” I said. “You’re in a funk,” someone else said. Ironically, that was the whole purpose of employing my reboot challenge. But now I can put my finger on the “why” of it all. Okay, so now what? Just like changing up the rules can bring new insight, so can taking a break. A few nights ago I did just that: I put my to-do list on the back burner. And I slept better than I have in weeks.

What typically interrupts your flow?

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Be a wo(man) on a mission: gratitude with intention

 

Since I misplaced my mojo (see “Don’t let anything dull your sparkle…”), I’ve been on a mission to get “unstuck.” For the past few posts, now, I’ve talked about how I’m rebooting my mojo—by recommitting to a mantra, challenging myself (again) and changing the rules. Here’s another tip I’ve begun to employ: gratitude with intention. On Jan. 1, I opened a brand new journal I received from my BFF, as well as a book of 365+ gratitude prompts a dear friend gifted me for my last birthday. Thus began a daily look at my life through the lens of gratefulness. Unfortunately, just like any routine, over time this practice started to become stale and simply something to check off my to-do list. However, once I took on the mission of locating my missing mojo, I began to approach my morning journaling sessions with intention vs. habit. This has also spilled into my everyday life—through tiny attitude adjustments that make a world of difference.

What’s your mission?

Change up the rules to keep your mojo in the flow: update #2

If you obey all the rules,
you miss all the fun. ~ Audrey Hepburn

Halfway into my 30-Day Reboot Challenge and following the culmination of a 30-day abs challenge (which “only” took me 33 days), I’ve learned what helps keep my mojo in the flow: 1) If I “slip” during my challenge(s)—take a day off, change the rules, etc.—that doesn’t mean I’ve failed or that I must start over. I just “reboot” the next day, if needed. 2) Some challenges in life take longer than we expect—whether real or self-imposed. For instance, your family succumbs to the flu and you simply cannot add one more thing to your overflowing inbox as you juggle between work life and caregiving. As a result, your 30-day challenge might take you: wait for it… more than 30 days. Allow yourself the space to have fun. And extend grace often. You might decide you play better by the new rules anyway. Who knew?

How can you change it up today?

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