101 EXERCISES FOR THE SOUL
A Divine Workout Plan for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Dr. Bernie S. Siegel
Attitude Is Everything
Don’t sweat the small or the large stuff (and save on the cost of deodorant)
Others can stop you temporarily, you are the only one who can do it permanently.
— Zig Ziglar
Coaching Tip One
Maintaining a positive attitude, no matter what your circumstances, increases the likelihood of your finding future happiness and fulfillment. Why is this true? Well, if your attitude is negative and your mind is filled with worry and fear, it takes its toll on your body, mind, and spirit. In fact, by spending all your time creating a vision of an unhappy future, you help create that future. Remember, your thoughts guide your decisions, and negative thoughts lead to negative decisions. Nothing is solved by visualizing the worst outcome, but much can be accomplished when you desire and intend to achieve the best possible result. Optimists may not be more accurate about life — whether interpreting the past or predicting the future — but they live longer than pessimists.
Over God’s desk there is a plaque that reads, “If you go around saying I’ve got a miserable life, I’ll show you what miserable really is. And if you go around saying I’ve got a wonderful life, I’ll show you what wonderful really is.“ A positive attitude can open many doors for you and help create the life you desire.
A negative attitude affects you first by ruining your moment-to-moment happiness. This truth was brought home to me many years ago. One of our children, then aged seven, had an X-ray that revealed a bone tumor. The odds were that it was a malignant tumor and that he would not see another year of life. I was very depressed by what I thought was going to happen, and my attitude showed it. I also tried to get my wife and his four siblings to understand and develop the proper depressing attitude. After all, how can you laugh and play when someone you love is going to die? One day our son walked into the room where I was sitting and said, “Dad, can I talk to you?“
I said, “Sure, what is it?“
He said, “Dad, you’re handling this poorly.“
With his talk, my son reminded me of what every child and animal knows instinctively: Today is the only day that exists. And as for my son, I was wrong about what was going to happen; he survived and is very much alive and happy today. The future is unknown, and we should never let our fears, worries, and negative attitudes prevent us from enjoying the day and finding fulfillment, no matter what tomorrow seems to hold.
When disappointments and setbacks occur, learn to view them as events that will redirect you to something good. My mother taught me this, and it creates a positive shift in your attitude and your view of the future. Cultivating a hopeful approach to life is an important part of your soul workout. The following exercises, when practiced on a regular basis, will strengthen your outlook and help you to create the life you desire.
Exercise 1
GRATITUDE LIST
Something to Remember
Why are you living this life? Do you ever stop to think about it? Or are you too busy complaining and whining? Gratitude is one of the best ways to improve your attitude and feel better. You can’t be troubled and grateful at the same time. This exercise can be repeated often and will always obtain the same results.
Get a pen and paper and sit down in a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted. Start by making a list of at least twenty things you are grateful for in your life. You might start with basic necessities like having a roof over your head, a chair to sit on, food to eat, a warm bed at night, and so on. Then continue with the more meaningful and personal areas of your life, such as your friends, family, work, pets, and health.
When you finish, display the list where you will see it often, especially when troubling thoughts start surfacing. Keep adding to your list over the next several weeks, and take the time every day to read it to remind yourself of all the things in your life you are grateful for.
Exercise 2
AFFIRMATIONS
What You Say to Yourself Counts
Your intentions and desires shape your future. When you create affirmations about what you desire, and stop visualizing what you fear, your goals are far more likely to manifest themselves. This is because you are preparing yourself and your life for the results you desire.
Take a sheet of paper and draw a vertical line down the middle of the paper. Then take a few minutes to think about all of the major aspects of your life, such as your body, your job, your mate, and so on. Note any negative thoughts, even if they are just momentary, and write them down in the left column. When you’ve finished your review, read through the negative thoughts you’ve collected. Now take these thoughts and turn them into positive statements in the right column. For instance:
I am very tired today I feel alive and energized today
I wish I didn’t have to work today I look forward to a productive day at work
I hate the way my body looks I am grateful for my body
I wish I were a better parent Every day I’m the best parent I can be
Post your favorite affirmations where you will see them every day — on your bathroom mirror, on your refrigerator, on your desk, and so on. For thirty days, read them aloud or repeat them silently to yourself several times a day and before bed. Every month re-create your list and choose new affirmations to focus on. As your attitude improves, your body and life will become what you affirm.
Exercise 3
LEARN FROM A MASTER
Ancient Wisdom
Why should you have to learn the hard way when there are wonderful coaches and teachers who have preceded you? The great sages of the past have left behind words of wisdom to help guide you. Pick up a book by a famous person you admire. Some of the wounded souls, great teachers, and survivors you might consider reading include Helen Keller, Anne Frank, Mother Teresa, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and St. Francis of Assisi. Take time to read classic poets like Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and William Blake.
As you read, keep a notebook of your favorite sayings, quotes, and poems. Or, if you own the book, you might highlight your favorite passages for reference when you need them. Consider framing some of the most uplifting passages and putting them up around your house. When you walk by the framed words of wisdom, let them enlighten you. These teachers and their teachings have inspired millions, and they will act as midwives to help you through the labor pains of self-birthing as you deliver a healthy attitude.
Exercise 4
THE GREATEST TEACHER
Refuse to Have a Bad Attitude
Recently at a teacher’s conference, I asked the audience to tell me who or what they thought was their greatest teacher. There were many answers; some of the most poignant were pain and loss. My answer is death. I refuse to let other people and circumstances impose on my joy, because I know, as we all should, that I have a limited time to live.
I live knowing that for all of us, time on earth is limited. If I hurt others, I make amends, apologize, and move on. If I am feeling fearful, I consider doing what I am afraid of, and if it does not put my life or health at risk, I take a chance.
Our little dog, Furphy, greets dogs ten times his size with a friendly attitude and no fear. He makes many friends, and I am learning from him. Pet training books tell us about the importance of attitude. If you approach another dog with an attitude of fear, your dog will become fearful as well, making conflict more likely. Our attitudes can be detected by those around us, and they affect our inner chemistry as well as the way others treat us.
As an exercise, pretend that the day in front of you is the last day of your life. Savor every moment, even the most mundane. Make the most of every situation. If every day you practice meeting life and the people in it with a positive attitude, then you will be greeted by others with a wagging tail instead of a growl and bared teeth.
Excerpted from 101 Exercises for the Soul Copyright © 2005 by New World Library
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