Reboot

Let me tell you about my reboot.

I was deep in thought on my walk to work one morning, thinking about why I was so upset the night before.  Remembering that I had hosted a self pity party for me, myself and I, where the three of us had a good cry session. 

For some reason I had been in a bad mood, and before I could say anything upsetting to my family, I put myself to bed.  There, I could be alone in my bedroom and fret about who knows what and shed some tears in private.  I eventually fell asleep. 

Prefer to listen to Reboot? Click the play button below.

As I was brooding about it along my walk to work that next morning, a man drove up alongside me, stopped and asked me through the open window of his pickup truck, “Did you lose your power?”

I answered “no” as our home was not affected by the heavy rains the last two days.  He muttered something about his home losing power and drove off. 

I continued onward. 

Time for a Reboot

I started to contemplate the man’s question. 

Did I lose my power?  Not the electrical power of my home, but MY power???

Did I lose MY power?

Was it time to recharge my batteries? Or be hooked up to the thing that brings you back to life, I believe it’s called a defibrillator?

Did I need to find a new purpose, more spirit?

Why did that man feel so inclined to pull over to the side of the road and ask me that question? Was the universe trying to tell me to snap out of it?  Possibly.

All I know is, that man’s question was the wake up call I needed to stop focusing on the blah blah blahs of my pity party from the night before. And question where I currently am in my life and where I want to go.  It was time for a battery recharge! I needed a reboot! 

How about you? Have you ever felt that way?

Define Reboot

According to the Google dictionary, when something needs a reboot, “All of the computer’s logic is reset. This means that the CPU, memory, controllers and peripherals all receive their reset commands and return to their boot-up status.”

Hmmm, in that definition replace the word computer with brain.  And change the words CPU, memory, controllers and peripherals with body, mind, soul, and spirit. And with those modifications, I had my definition of the reboot I personally needed. 

So the new definition reads like this… when you are rebooted, all of the brain’s logic is reset. This means that the body, mind, soul and spirit all receive their reset commands (positive thinking) and return to their boot-up status (feeling good again).

Once I realized I needed a reboot, my mind got busy thinking of ways to make myself feel better quickly.  I tried a few and they did the job! 

By the time I arrived at work, I was in a positive frame of mind and ready to rock my day.

And it’s all because of just a few simple tools that changed my perspective and mood. I’d like to share these rebooting ideas with you and I hope you find them helpful, too, whenever you need to recharge.

#1 Count Backwards

Count backwards from 5 to 1.

Mel Robbins, author and motivational speaker, suggests this idea in her book, The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage.

In it she explains that our mind gets stuck in the thinking-too-much mode which causes a person an inability to move beyond that mode and take action.

For example, let’s say you’re ready for a career change and find a great position online. You fill out the application, but you hesitate and start overthinking that you might not be good enough for the job and spiral down the hole of negative space.

So, rather than hitting the “Send” button with your application, you lose your confidence and do nothing. 

Instead, distract your overthinking by counting from 5 to 1, stimulating another area of your brain.

And immediately after counting, and before the hesitation can set back in, don’t think, just take the action.  Hit that “Send” button. 

It’s that simple. 

Once again, if you’re stuck in a particular thinking pattern you need to break, count backwards from 5 to 1. And, because you’ve stopped your thinking in its tracks, you can make a different move or transition to a different thought pattern or more positive thinking. 

5,4,3,2,1. I feel good! (yes, I’m singing the James Brown song)

#2 Mindfulness

Mindfulness. Be in the here and now. 

Don’t fret about yesterday, an hour from now or tomorrow.  Focus on the present moment. 

Not only does mindfulness increase positive emotions, it also decreases stress, and allows for better memory retention. 

So, as I was walking, I had to mindfully switch from the woes of the night before to the beauty right in front of me. It was early morning and the sun was shining through the trees.  The rays of light streaming down to the sidewalk I walked upon.   I could hear the sound of my feet hitting the pavement with each step I took.  The birds were singing their joyful song and after a few minutes, I recognized that it was a lovely day. 

And my spirit was lifted.

#3 Exercise and Deep Breathing

Exercise and deep breathing. There’s nothing like a good workout to stimulate the heart, mind and lungs. 

A long walk or run, dancing or yoga, weight lifting or biking. 

Anything that gets the blood pumping and air deep into the lungs to generate those feel good endorphins and knocks out of the ring those hormones that cause stress and anxiety.

The end result? A happy, relaxed, confident, stronger person.  Sounds good, eh? 

#4 Be Grateful

Be grateful. 

Sometimes people get so wrapped up in their issues or focus on what they don’t have that they forget to appreciate all the blessings they do have in their life. 

I know this sounds crazy, but when I wake up in the morning, I’m grateful for just that. I woke up.  And I have another day on this earth to make a difference, to live and love fully! 

What are you grateful for today? 

#5 Smile

Smile.  How can you think negative thoughts when you have a smile on your face? 

A smile is welcoming. 

It increases the feel good endorphins and boosts your mood.  It makes you look younger (that in itself makes me want to smile). 

And, it helps build relationships and creates a connection between yourself and others.  So, smile everyone.  Smile.  And watch the good feelings return.

That’s all of them.

These tools are simple and easy to do anytime you need a battery recharge. Even on a walk to work. 

Take Good Care and Reboot

It’s important to take good care of your body, mind, soul and spirit and be aware of your needs, so that you can carry on with this beautiful thing called life.  

If that man in the pickup truck ever drives up again to ask me if my power is out, I’ll be ready with the right answer.  It was, but I’m all good now. I had a reboot.

Cheers!

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