Monday, July 28, 2008

How Oprah Changed My Life....

One day many moons ago, I was sitting on my couch watching Oprah when she had Jamie Lee Curtis on talking about a book or movie or something. Ms. Curtis informed the audience that she had had a revelation that had changed her outlook on life. I, of course, was riveted because I think she is just so cool (love her hair!). Anway, moving on. She changed the way she thought of things from "I have to" to "I get to". I thought to myself that that was indeed profound and decided to try it out on myself and the other guinea pigs that live in my home.

How did it work you ask? It changed our way of thinking. Instead of dragging ourselves out of bed every morning and being all down in the mouth and saying "I HAVE to go to school/work", I became a Pollyanna and said "No, you GET to go to school/work". This reminds us all that these things are blessings that some do not get to share. Now I'm not telling you that it works perfectly because some days are just like that, but most of the time it works. So now, we GET to go to school/work, GET to go to visit family, GET to do service projects, GET to go grocery shopping (this is a constant source of pain for Kiersten and I), GET to work in the yard, GET to do the dishes (Kiersten disagrees with me about that one), and so many other things.

People have been telling me that my brother's family HAS to move to Oklahoma. I look at it as they GET to move to Oklahoma. I've never lived out of the state, I think it would be an adventure. They get to meet new people, establish new traditions, yada yada yada. You never know, there may be someone in Oklahoma that needs their family.

Anywho, that's the way Oprah changed my life for the better. It's now not quite so painful to get out of bed to go to work (although Mondays are still rough), and it's a phrase that constantly goes through my head: You don't HAVE to, you GET to.

Love to all and hope you have a great week!

4 comments:

Connie said...

And I GET TO read your blog my little grasshopper LOL. Have you figured out the grasshopper reference yet? Love Crazy Auntie Connie

scchesleys said...

Either I'm in training under your superior tutelage or I'm an off brand thin mint.

Anonymous said...

Love the little grasshopper and auntie relationship you and Connie have going.

About 20 years ago (how time flies), I was walking into work on a Monday morning,and I must have looked really stressed because an older woman who was walking in at the same time asked me how I was doing. I probably said, "Okay for a Monday," or something like that.
She then went on to tell me that in order to come to school, she had to hire someone to stay with her husband who was completely bedridden and unable to feed, bathe, or dress himself. He could't even get out of bed without help. "So," she said, "Anytime you can get out of bed and dress yourself and go somewhere, it's gonna be a great day, even on Monday." All these years later, I still think about how I get to go to work.

campbell said...

When I woke up to go running this morning, which I just started back and am dreading. I didn't say I have to go running. Thanks to you I thought about your post and said I get to go running.