My best friend’s “Bag of Rocks”

“Everyone has their own bag of rocks.”
…you’ve heard the phrase.
 
The bag is filled with their sorrow, their pain.
 
My grandmother said:
“If one night God brought you into the room
where He keeps everyone’s bag of rocks… 
and let you set your bag down 
and peek into all the other bags…
You’d say:
“Give me back my bag, please.”
 
So many people carrying such a heavy load.
 
But what if we “re-framed” those rocks?
What if we carved into them the things we wanted?

 
And instead of carrying a bag of hard-time rocks…
… that bag could carry us through hard times.
Brain science tells us that we have this choice.
And there are shortcuts we can use
to get the outcomes we want.
 
(I thank Dr. Bill Crawford for planting this seed.
And Dr BJ Fogg and James Clear for their work.
If you don’t know them… look em up. Worth it.)
 
My best friend had open heart surgery on Thursday.
On Friday I laid 25 rocks on his tray table 
And told him “These are 25 amazing things—
you get to pick the 5 that are most important to you.”
 
He chose: 
BLESSED, LAUGH, COURAGE, STRENGTH and HEALTH. 
 
“Hold each of these rocks during the day.
One rock at a time, focus on their beauty.
Breathe… slowly– 4 counts in, hold, 4 out.
Consider each word for a moment or two 
and remember the times you have felt that word. 
Enjoy those moments again in your mind, 
and smile…  because you WILL feel that way again
many more times…”
 
 
 
The Science:
You can change your chemistry (Outcomes).
Focus on what you want. (Not what you fear.)
Be selective. (One thing at a time.)
Make it Visual. (Better make it tangible.)
Repeat it. (Neurons that fire together, wire together.)
Celebrate your successes.
 
for my best friend… 
if you know someone who could use a few to focus on?
 
PS

With your success in mind,
Dean

       Dean Minuto

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