The Power of Change

My husband is a writer, among other things. He would tell you that his is a gift that doesn’t come naturally – that he has to work at perfecting his verse and prose. I have, in fact, had the opportunity to witness his writing processes …he’ll construct a rough draft, read it, edit it constantly, look up new words to replace well-worn expressions, try to eliminate clichés, trying techniques and methods that no other writer would try. In effect, he has developed his own style that is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. (When he begins publishing his work, I will make sure you know when it comes out so you can see what I’m talking about for yourself.)

My husband has been writing for over ten years. It hasn’t always been easy for him, but he’s a self-motivator so setbacks haven’t really got the best of him. To help him stay motivated, he reads – A LOT! One of his favorite authors is Og Mandino, author of books like The Greatest Salesman In The World, The Greatest Secret In The World, and The Greatest Miracle In The World. If you haven’t read any of his works, I highly recommend them. They are easy to read, and the wisdom is powerful! My husband has read these books and has really taken the wisdom to heart.

As I recently perused The Greatest Salesman In The World, I came upon the following quote:

If I feel depressed I will sing.

If I feel sad I will laugh.

If I feel ill I will double my labour.

If I feel fear I will plunge ahead.

If I feel inferior I will wear new garments.

If I feel uncertain I will raise my voice.

If I feel poverty I will think of wealth to come.

If I feel incompetent I will think of past success.

If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals.

Today I will be the master of my emotions.

Mastering my emotions is one of the hardest tasks I’ve ever tried to do, but it’s so worth it. When I intently do it, my marriage relationship flows better, my relationship with my daughter grows, I can better empathize with my friends. When I don’t master my emotions, things go awry, because very often, my feelings lie to me and I base my actions off the lie. The result? Anger, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, bitterness, resentment, self-defense, you name it.

So I offer Og’s quote to you. Mastering emotions entails change. But with change comes growth, and with growth comes greater peace, love, and joy. I truly believe this. I hope you believe it as well.