“I get up every morning determined both to change the world and to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning the day difficult.” ~ E.B. White
When I hear people talking about the “current economic climate” like it’s bad weather, I get the urge to share one of the life lessons I learned from a sweet friend and Zen master—my dog Zoe, who died in 2008.
Zoe was a Golden Retriever, and she loved going for long romps in the woods no matter whether it was raining, snowing or sleeting. From her I learned that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing.
On one particular walk it was so cold that icicles formed on my eyelashes. At first I thought, “This is ridiculous!” But then I looked at Zoe and how happy she was and I just had to laugh and made a note to wear warmer clothes the next time it was that cold.
And then I noticed something amazing: looking out at the world with icicles on my eyelashes is like looking out at the world through a crystal kaleidoscope. It was absolutely magical. That walk was almost 10 years ago and I still remember it clearly. I’m immensely grateful for that experience and it’s only because of Zoe and her “no bad weather” philosophy that I experienced it.
Now I try to remember that walk when it seems like my life is less than ideal. Am I open to seeing what is amazing and beautiful in the moment? Or, if that’s not possible, can I glean the lesson that the moment is trying to teach me? If you are “experiencing bad weather,” remember that you can put on more appropriate clothing simply by changing your thoughts.
Now I know what you’re thinking—I know because when I told my husband about this article he looked at me skeptically and said that he didn’t think the weather analogy was apt. After all, he said, when the weather is bad you can always go inside your house. But in the current economy people are losing their homes and have nowhere to go.
O.K. Point taken. So let me be clear: Yes, negative events will happen to everyone. And when they happen to others I have enormous compassion for their suffering.
But when they happen to me, I want to focus as quickly as I can on the things that are going well in my life. I want to create more positive things. So, to return to my (I think, very apt) analogy: the fastest and simplest way to create more favorable weather is by changing your thoughts.
Whenever I get down I think of New York City. I love going to Manhattan. Everybody is busy in Manhattan, and everyone seems to have this amazing energy and courage (“ganas” in Spanish). And that ganas gets on you. It sticks.
Of course, I can’t pop up to NYC every time I feel lost, discouraged and overwhelmed—like my big dreams are hopeless and nothing I’m doing is working.
You probably can’t either. That’s why we’re going to talk about getting you into your own personal Manhattan from the comfort of your home.
I’ve learned that even if I can’t just walk out my door and into Central Park, I can pick up a Janet Evanovich novel and read about the spunky heroine, Stephanie Plum, and all the grit and determination she has.
I can watch movies about people with hustle, people who make things happen, like My Date with Drew.
I can read blog posts about people doing the mundane stuff and the scary stuff and the amazing stuff that makes their dreams become real, like Torre DeRoche’s story of going from self-published to landing a huge book and film deal.
I can listen to positive, uplifting songs. If they have a driving bass line, all the better. Take Mary J. Blige’s Just Fine and crank it when you take an afternoon power walk.
Having a real good time, I’m not complaining
And I’ma still wear a smile if it’s raining
I gotta enjoy myself regardless
I appreciate life, I’m so glad that it’s mine.
Or take Jay Z’s Empire State of Mind and sing the chorus loud in you car, just like Alicia Keyes:
In New York,
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There’s nothing you can’t do,
Now you’re in New York,
These streets will make you feel brand new,
The lights will inspire you,
Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York
These are all things I do—and you can do the same thing. Look at the different ways you can expose yourself to ganas on demand, and keep those things handy. Go to them every day you need a boost.
It may sound silly, but have you ever noticed that the things people call silly are the things that actually work?
I’d love to hear what you do to cultivate an Empire State of Mind and get your ganas on. Please share in the comments!
