What if there is a “not-so-obvious” secret that is guaranteed to transform any — or literally every area of your life, faster than you ever thought possible? That it would only take 6 minutes a day?
~ Day 2 of the 28 Day Self-Growth Plan
The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8AM), by Hal Elrod
During a ride the other day, Ally Love said, “The opposite of gratitude is criticism.” I am still chewing on that because, as much as my literal brain rejects it, there is something about that idea that resonates in my soul pretty deeply. So much so, in fact, that it has succeeded (at least for now) in placing itself at the forefront of my brain. I still need to pay attention to how that affects intellectually honesty and healthy boundaries, but for now, it is creating more calm and kindness so I am just going with it.
Day 2 was an exercise in gratitude for me. Beginning with the beginning, I was not excited about the reading. It felt like the worst click-bait tag. Then I remind myself that sometimes I am thankful for clickbait and cheesy marketing. Didn’t a jacked frog get me here after all? So, I chalk it up to my own morning and move forward.
And I have nothing else to say about the Day 2 selection except it wasn’t for me.
I will say that I was grateful for the 15 minutes I spent reading it as it turned into a great emotional and mental workout for me. I’ll try and explain.
There was quite a bit in it that I didn’t agree with and even disliked as concepts. This puts me at odds with folks like Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad Poor Dad) and both these guys have made way more money than me.
What I think we have talked about before is my knee jerk to accept fault (I’ll go look in a minute as I don’t want to lose my train of thought here because I am barely holding on to it). If I find myself on opposite ends of an idea that involves character, any of my Big Rocks, or with a person who can be reasonably assumed to be more capable (that’s is a shit way to put it but things like smarter, more successful, better aren’t much better – but I hope you get my meaning)… If I find myself on opposite ends in a situation like that, I tend to question myself first, give the other side the benefit of the doubt, and live in that position for far longer than is healthy.
To expand a little – I don’t think this tactic is wrong. I think considering myself first and remaining humble enough to consider my possibility of error first and empathetic enough to extend the benefit of the doubt first is a fine step one. My problem is my intention has been historically wrong and I stay there too long. In the ago, I assumed I must be wrong. I was not considering the possibility of my error; I am certain it is there I just had to find it.
Now, I consider those ideas differently. It takes practice. Sometimes that practice is hard and involves uncomfortable and important situations. That isn’t fun. I appreciate times like this where it is great practice and the consequences are almost nonexistent.
I understand that reputable folks find these particular ideas helpful. I am thankful that they had that. I did not. I appreciate books like this as they remind me that free thinking is important and the practice of individual idea is a healthy one. I could be critical (and let me be clear, I do not think a productive critique is bad). Today instead, I choose gratitude.
Sidenote: I did go back and look for the “I think we have discussed this before” post. Turns out I’ve discussed it a lot. I don’t apologize as it is a pretty big part of becoming a better me, but I do appreciate the space. Y’all are saints and I love you.