Uninterrupted Thoughts

Have you ever found yourself constantly complaining about things? It’s like every day you wake up it’s a new “eye rolling, grumble and sigh” experience. The person at the drive-through forgot to add sugar to your coffee, you spilled grape jelly on your shirt, traffic is delayed 30 minutes, your children missed the school bus, and the list goes on and on. That revolving door of minuscule events sets a silent ticking time bomb that’s ready to detonate. You can’t seem to wrap your head around the fact that you’re at wits end and want nothing more than to hit the reset button. What’s that invisible irritant behind all of this chaos?

This is exactly how I was feeling not too long ago! Everything and everyone was a target and I had enough. It seemed as though this black cloud of negativity overshadowed everything I did. It affected my performance at work, my personal life, and my mental well-being. I had to figure out the root cause of my unhappiness. One day I went to church and the preacher talked about the key to happiness. It was in that moment that he revealed to the congregation “be grateful for the little things good and bad!” I sat there for a second allowing those very words to marinate in my mind. Little did I know, I was writing a mental prescription for this ugly illness.

I let those magical words manifest throughout my day. Once I started to appreciate the small things good and bad, it was like a dead weight was lifted off of me. My once unhappy, negative attitude started to deteriorate and I began to find happiness. I realized that a lot of things were out of my control and it caused me to focus on the things I could control. In science, they teach you about cause-and-effect or action and reaction. For every action no matter if it’s good or bad, there will be a reaction. The same with cause-and-effect. The difference is those are objects or forces being used to illustrate a scientific reaction.

What situations happen in each and everyone of our lives, no matter how bad, doesn’t have to result in a negative outcome. If we learn to look at the big picture and quit focusing on the small details, we will begin to appreciate life a lot more. I have to constantly remind myself of this each and every day! Some days are easier than others, but ultimately I resort back to what the preacher talked about! It’s okay to give yourself a reminder every now and then, especially when you are feeling the negative impacts of life weighing you down. Remember, “each day you wake up you can choose to be happy or unhappy, but as for me I choose happiness!”

You know what I’m talking about! That uncontrollable impulse to buy that item just because it’s two for one, or marked down to clearance. I don’t know about you, but I have fallen victim to the manipulation of retailers more often than not. Consumers all across the country, at some point, have gotten tangled into the web of a great deal that they couldn’t pass up! Think about how many times you’ve walked around the store and have seen those signs that just seem to jump up and grab you by the collar enticing you to buy those pair of jeans that you honestly could do without.

How many times have you purchased something out of impulse and then later regretted it after you got home? I know I have time and time again! It seems like the cycle of addictive shopping and impulsive behavior has no intentions of coming to a halt. My husband and I have had numerous conversations about my “thrill of a deal” and how just because it’s a great deal doesn’t mean I have to buy it. In my heart of hearts I knew he was right, but that occasional itch just needed to be scratched.

What about that high you get from shopping online and tracking your package step-by-step? I know I have a guilty pleasure of tracking my package the very next day after I order knowing that it’s a 5 to 7 day waiting game! Why are cheap deals so appealing? Is it because we are getting more bang for our buck? I mean how many of those same shirts in six different colors do you really need? It’s turning into an epidemic this “click bait” society that we have created.

Retailers are hunting us down one by one, click by click, deal by deal until we fall victim to their greedy game! What do we gain from their game of cat and mouse? Nothing but empty pockets and full closets! Let’s stop falling victim to the manipulation and start putting our money in the hands of something that will grow our pockets not deplete them!

I mean what does that even mean? It’s not like I need help remembering where I placed my wallet or car keys. I just need a little nudge to get me going! There are so many bloggers floating around on the great wide-web, what’s one more going to hurt? I see so many ideas flashing before my eyes like dragonflies floating around, but will I be brave enough to grab one? The mere idea of me sharing my thoughts and point of views with complete strangers almost makes me want to tuck my tail and run! What would that benefit? Nothing!

If I were to start off with my very first blog it would be “uninterrupted thoughts”. I figure this is the very existence of my blog, so why not? Have you ever dealt with constant interruptions in your daily life? I mean I literally live this nightmare every day! If it’s not my job then it’s my children or husband! What about those unwelcomed phone calls from debt collectors? Some days I just want to lock myself in my room or go on a seven day vacation to “absolutely nowhere” just to be able to have an uninterrupted thought. Some may say, “that’s terrible to think that way!” but guess what? It’s necessary in order to not crack like a hail damaged window!

Think about how beneficial it would be to be able to think clearly without other influences impacting your thoughts. Thinking is very beneficial with the right environment. It allows us the opportunity to plan, study, contemplate, and build. Look at how many successful people there are in this world. Do you think they got there by being absent minded? In my line of business I have to think alot! I deal with Medicare customers and have to order medication for them.

Sometimes it feels like I’m their own personal care nurse because they don’t know what medicines they take or sometimes the last time they ordered them! If I wasn’t able to think critically or effectively, I could put a lot of people in danger by my negligence. Some days when I’m at work my personal life often blends in! What am I going to cook for dinner, which bill is due, what do the kids need, can we start a savings account, how can I start my own business and use my talents? These thoughts are constantly going on in my head on a daily basis. Well, guess what? I’m doing what I love now and its only going to get better, “one thought at a time”!