One of my regular practices is to write in a journal.  It helps me get out what is stuck in my head so that later I can go back to see any insights.  I also write down what I am grateful for that day.  However, even with that practice I find myself getting stressed out about the various business and family commitments that we all have these days.  And being connected 24/7 amplifies this even more.

It’s easy to focus on my self-talk of “I have to (finish that report, get up early, make that sales call), etc.”  However, if I change one word in that sentence—from “have” to into “get” to—it can be a game changer for my attitude.  It has been said that some of the best hires an organization can make are those people with the right attitude, because you can teach skills, but you can’t unlearn someone from years of a negative attitude.

In an article by James Clear, “How to be Thankful for Your Life by Changing Just One Word,” Clear describes this process of taking the “have to” out of the sentence and replacing it with “get to.”  It pushes you into a new mindset.  Clear used the example of a man who was wheelchair-bound and was asked if it was difficult to be confined to it.  His response was “I’m not confined to my wheelchair—I am liberated by it.  If it wasn’t for my wheelchair, I would be bed-bound and never able to leave my house.”

How is your thinking confining you?  Liberate yourself from “have to” and replace it with “get to” and see how it can transform your attitude.  I’d love to hear about your results at mike@trilliumfinancial.com.