The Mindful Minute with Lise Villeneuve: https://youtu.be/YwOhgykr6mc
Whether we realize it or not, what motivates us from minute to minute is the desire to feel good. All day long, we are always doing whatever we can to make ourselves feel better.
We have a coffee, we solve a problem, we clean the bathroom, we go for a run, we watch T.V., we give to charity...etc. If these things didn't give us some kind of reward, we wouldn't do them -unless we were forced to and threatened by the unpleasant feelings of a potential negative consequence.
Many of us assume that the thermostat to regulate our moods is "out there" in the world. We believe we have to "do this" to feel good. We think "If I don't fix that problem, I'll be stuck with my fear and my anger. " Or, "If I don't get that promotion, I will never feel secure and appreciated." Is that true?
Or, is our thermostat actually inside ourselves, and we have the power to self-regulate our moods by monitoring our thoughts, by changing our focus, by looking at things from a fresh perspective, and by taking full responsibility for our feelings? The truth is, uncomfortable feelings are a part of life. The sooner we can accept them, feel them and release them, the sooner we can start to feel better.
If wanting to feel good is our main motivation in life, shouldn't we cut to the chase and start mastering our internal thermostat, instead of getting frustrated trying to adjust an external thermostat that may or may not respond to our commands? The source of our happiness and power is internal. That, my friends, is great news!
Lise Villeneuve