3 Life-Changing Words
One of the challenges of being a human being is accepting things when they do not happen our way. These challenges can vary from getting a crack in our windshield to learning we have been diagnosed with a life-changing condition. There is a 3 word mantra or phrase that has proven to be life changing when people have implemented it after such events.
This phrase is very simple yet can help jumpstart our brains, bodies, and attitudes onto a pathway of acceptance and healthy coping. What’s the phrase? “I love this!” Simple right? At first glance this phrase appears too simple, however, when said and repeated, it can help a person change their outlook and view their situation differently.
Imagine a vacation or trip you have been looking forward to for a few months. You have planned out the details and paid for it ahead of time. Just before you are headed on your trip you find out that you cannot leave for your trip as hoped and your plans need to be altered drastically. Imagine saying, whether or not you believe it at first, “I love this!” Of course you are stressed and frustrated, yet repeating the phrase “I love this!” will start to force your brain to come up with reasons that this may be a good thing.
Our brains are very good at searching for new information and synthesizing different alternatives, which can help us to reframe our stories and experiences. When we say “I love this,” no matter how drastic the challenge may be, our brains will start their search for reasons that are acceptable for the events that happen to us to be happening.
We cannot change what has already happened and the fastest route to peace is generally radical acceptance of whatever has taken place. We all know people who have experienced something awful years ago and are still not in a place where they are able to accept that it even happened, let alone find any healthy meaning or peace regarding the event.
We also know people who have processed great loss or challenges and know that they generally will tell you it was hard, yet almost always tell you positive things that came from those tough experiences.
Saying “I love this” can be a game changer for people. They are able to adapt to life’s challenges and even thrive better by viewing things more positively and also by integrating changes into their narratives with positive feelings and vibes. A lot of the torment we experience in this life as human beings is due to not letting go or refusing to accept what has already occurred. This does not mean that those occurrences were not important, crucial, or traumatizing, but changing our outlook and processing them with a sense of love can help us to embrace change and grow.
How To "Love This"
Look at your emotion, acknowledge it, feel it, mirror it, let it know that it is seen, and try to love it. By not ignoring your emotions, but acknowledging them and spending time with them, you will help to neutralize them. Then it will just be an event that has happened without the weight of the emotions. You will better understand what has happened to you and accept that your life is richer for having experienced it. What may have started out as “not really loving this” will turn into “I love this.”
The most interestingly shaped trees are interestingly shaped because of all the challenges and storms that they have weathered throughout their lives. Losing branches, being hit by lightning, and standing up against constant winds only serves to strengthen those trees and mold them into fascinating creatures. We are no different.
