Last week, I wrote about feelings of inadequacy and how I work to battle them. Notably, I received quite a few e-mails in response to that post, most of which focused on specific questions. However, while those questions were different, they shared a common theme: everyday angst. That angst was expressed most commonly with regard to specific areas of life, such as finances, career, or faith. I plan to focus some upcoming posts on several of the main questions--more details to come as I explore the questions a bit further.
Before discussing specific topics, I would like to share a secret tool with you. I dubbed this little gem "The In2 Effect."
Background
A few months ago, I found myself allowing negative situations to dictate my perspective and my mood. Soon enough, I began that all-too-familiar and very uncomfortable downward spiral. Thankfully, I decided to focus my strength: I chose to step back, see the big picture, and flip a coin. Flipping that coin would allow me to shift my focus from pure negativity to the positive alternatives.
Perspective
Does your perspective on something ever turn sour?
Do you ever feel as though you're stuck in a negative rut?
Do you focus on the negatives more than the positives?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then read on. Alternatively, if you answered no, then please post your secret immediately!
The In2 Effect
What is the one word that has the power to shift your perspective?
--> In2 (otherwise known as Into)
Be perceptive. Take note of when you see, say, or hear the word into. The goal is to strengthen your awareness of that word.
The word into serves as your trigger. When thinking about into, be sure to associate the number "2" with it. That 2 emphasizes the two sides of the coin you hold; essentially, the power you have to choose your perspective. Here, you have 2 options: positive or negative.
Take Action: Ask yourself what you can do to turn something negative into something positive.
Fill in these blanks mentally:
_____ into _____
Now that I've let you in on my little secret, let's talk about the background story that led me to the In2 Effect.
At the time, I was trying to let go of my expectations for Perseverance; unfortunately, I couldn't. I realized finally that I equated letting go with giving up. And I could never give up on my book, even if an entire field of well-constructed obstacles threatened my progress. I realized that I could choose to turn the situation into something other than failure: positive alternatives were indeed available to me. I didn't have to let go or quit just because of my unmet expectations. Instead, I could simply redefine those expectations, which would allow me to switch my perspective from "failure" into "success."
Now it's your turn, and don't waste any time. Start today! What can you change from a negative into a positive? How can you apply "The In2 Effect" to your life?
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. Also, if you have a "secret" tool, I would love to hear about it!
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Each day, I post inspiring tips focused on turning knowledge into action and action into change. You can read these tips and much more on carolynrubenstein.com.
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Best wishes,
Carolyn
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In the space is the power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
Victor Frankl
"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. And I,
I took the one less traveled by and that has
made all the difference."
Robert Frost
Most excellent Carolyn. As we celebrate our freedoms let us celebrate our freedom to choose our attitude. And that will make all the difference.
Peace on ya,
Bill
Thank you for commenting and sharing those two quotes. I greatly appreciate your wise words about "celebrat[ing] our freedom to choose our attitude."
I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July!
Carolyn
In some cultures they use the phrase "turning lead 'into' gold" as a way of expressing that one can take something negative or of little apparent value into something meaningful and with great value. Thus, by applying this In2 Effect to living life I can see it as a tool for turning a bad relationship into a healthy one, a struggling business into a thriving business, and so on, not merely through positive thinking (although that helps) but through positive energy -- never giving up and making things happen rather than waiting for them to happen. This is a terrific post, thanks for your insight.
_____ OutOf _____
which is quite useful in turning a sceptical eye toward those In2 constructs we preceive one way only to find out later we had positive and negative all mixed up.
While the In2 effect is useful in transforming perspective, I prefer the "prism effect" which teaches that there will be more than 2 options to choose from and to judge any one as "positive" or "negative" is to miss the unique beauty that each reflection radiates.
So instead of
____ In2 ____
we have that and _____ and _____ and _____ and none of the above. All perfectly valid choices.
I strongly believe in applying Newton's theory or the "prism effect" to the way we look at the world. There are never either/or decisions when it comes to our thoughts and emotions.
For example, after my close friend passed away from cancer, the only way I could find happiness was to shift my perspective to the incredible ways I could honor my friend's memory. How I could give to his family and share his message with the world. Shifting my perspective from solely focusing on the tragedy (even though that always still exists), I was able to counteract some of the negative with positive.
And then sometimes I just defer to Dr. Robert Holden's thoughts, "You cannot think your way to happiness. Happiness is not a formula of thought. If anything, happiness is the relinquishment of thoughts, theories, and theses."
Thank you so much for your thoughtful post. It helped me to think more deeply about the "in2 effect" and how I have utilized it within my everyday life.