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Rutbusters

By Mike Smith

All human beings seem to live in ruts. Ruts? You know: doing what we have always done because we are comfortable there. We are the ultimate creatures of habit. Now here is your chance to use this tool to move you out of those ruts. Pick a "rutbuster day." On that day in your calendar list the activity you have been meaning to do, but have never "gotten around to." Make sure you get it done. Need ideas for rutbusters? Here are a few to get you started:

• Today I will do my best to respond to the question, "How are you?" positively. I will say "Fantastic!" I will notice the reaction I get and how much better I feel programming myself positively.

• Today I will read a magazine article on something that has interested me for a long time, but that I have not pursued. i.e... oriental cooking, stamp collecting, natural history, astronomy, boating, fishing, etc.

• Today I will review my close family relationships. I cannot change other people, but I can change how I act and react with them.

• Today I will make a list of two or three of those things about me I wish to improve. It is much easier to improve those things when I am honest about them with myself.

• Today I will find a book or collection of "positive" sayings that I can read first thing every morning . It is good to put something positive in my head early to set the daily tone.

• Today I will make a list of things that I would like TO DO in the rest of my life time. I will keep this list and check off those I complete as I do them.

• Today I will think about how I react when I am angry. If I am violent or abusive, I need to develop a different way of handling it. I must realize that being angry is OK, but acting it out on others is not. Most anger is caused by self-disappointment.

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