Two of my colleagues separately embarked
on ‘cleansing diets’ early this year. Both of them had similar reasons for
their decision. They felt sluggish, mildly ill most of the time, unfocused, and
stuck somehow. Neither of them were anywhere near their ‘best selves.’ And,
from their descriptions, they both followed a food-based detox plan to shake
things up. Total food intake wasn’t restricted. Rather, certain foods or
categories of food were either off-limits or eaten sparingly; for example,
dairy, wheat, sugar, fried foods, processed foods…you get the picture. And
fresh, healthy foods, mostly vegetables and fruits, were substituted in their
place.
Both individuals told pretty much the
same story – the change was really challenging for the first week or two. After
all, they were interrupting eating patterns that had been a part of them for a
while. But after that, they went from sluggish to energized; from unfocused to
clear headed, creative and confident; from stuck to ‘free’ and light. And they
were both hooked! After almost two months, both of them have easily sustained
their new relationship with food – their new eating habits. Both remarked that
they ‘felt like their old selves.’
Hearing these two people tell their
stories with enthusiasm, passion and pride really got me thinking…. I’m certain
that most of us have either been on a similar diet or know someone who has.
It’s a great accomplishment, but not that unusual. But, what if we applied the same approach to our thoughts?
I’ve noticed that many of us are trapped
in what I call ‘thought ruts.’ We’re on auto-pilot. We think the same thoughts,
usually more negative than constructive, out of habit, rather than by choice.
And, in much the same way that my colleagues’ diets led to them feeling sick,
tired and out of whack, I firmly believe that our thoughts are equally, if not
more, powerful. We keep thinking the same thoughts about people, situations and
circumstances and somehow expect things to change. That’s the definition of
insane, according to Einstein. We hit the replay button in our minds and cycle
through same old same old thinking and then wonder why we’re still stuck and
nothing’s getting better. Instead,
What if ….
…We consciously choose which thoughts we
will entertain day in and day out? Choosing healthy, constructive ones and
declaring fear-based, pessimistic ones to be off limits.
….We fostered a healthy mistrust of our
own perspectives and opinions and assumed that we only have part of the whole
picture and others may have a better, more accurate view or interpretation?
…We chose to think the best of others
(or give the benefit of the doubt) rather than the worst?
…We decided to create sparks of
possibility through intentional thinking, rather than focusing on what’s wrong
and who’s to blame?
…We once and for all accepted the idea
that the past does not necessarily predict
the future?
…Each of us intentionally chose to be
memorable in a good way each day?
…We remained laser focused on all of the
things that are going right or are working with our team, in our workplace, in
our life?
…We treated our colleagues as VIPs and
actively helped them to be successful and lead effectively from their seats.
…We chose to show up at work in thought,
word and action as the best version of ourselves on a regular basis?
My educated guess is that if you chose a
steady diet of fresh, healthy, productive, positive thoughts each day, you
would experience the same transformation that my colleagues did. And more.
That’s my leadership dare: Engage in a detox diet for your thoughts! Let me
know what happens.
