UpS aNd DoWnS

Have you noticed that life seems to be filled with ups & downs. There
are good things happening, & things that don’t feel so good… or things
that appear neutral & I puzzle about why they showed up at all.

It’s easy to feel good & have a great disposition when things are going
well. It’s not so easy when things are not. Part of the issue could be my
expectations for “going well.” If I expect someone to act one way &
they act a different way, it might not be a bad thing. It is only
unexpected, which can startle my brain (that likes patterns & things to
go as expected) into going “Hey, what’s up with this? It is NOT according
to expectations!”

Our brains do not like change. They understand repetition. Our brains will
encourage us to keep doing the same things – even if they are dangerous to
our health. Our brains flood with fear chemicals when we even think about
changing or doing something we haven’t done before. Sometimes even making
a shift in our perception can be a scary thing. Unfortunately, if we want
our lives to change, we MUST change.

We have to think new thoughts, try new things, go new places, imagine new
perceptions. If we can go there in our imagination, in our visioning, in
our thoughts often enough, we will begin to make new pathways in
our brains, & the new pathways will become the norm.

Simple, RIGHT? Easy? NO!

They say it takes 30 days to create a new habit. That’s 30 days of
repeating the new activity. That works for some things, but not
everything. If you’re trying to change a 30 year habit, it might take
longer than 30 days. On the other hand, if you don’t start now, it will
take longer.

What new thought, what new habit, what new pattern do you want to be begin
to reinforce today? How can I see the unexpected in a different way? Are
your ups & downs really ups & downs?

All may not be well, but there are many reasons to rejoice, & be thankful for….
Thank you God!

Rev. Dr. Rainbow Johnson
ADAAP Clergy Counselor