Change Your Emotions, Change Your World

Hi all! It’s Adam here; first I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas.  Second, I would love for you to reflect on a question for a moment.

Is it truly possible to change your emotional state in less than 24 hours?  Now don’t answer so quickly.  Allow me to expand the question, could you change your emotional state to the point where you could complete something so challenging that it only seems technically possible right now. Accomplishing this challenge right now may seem so unlikely that it may as well be impossible.  It may be finally going skydiving, losing your desired amount of weight, taking that job you have always wanted or taking a chance on that special someone.  Often times we establish self-imposed constraints that limit what is actually possible.

Allow me to share a true story where thousands of people were able to put behind them their emotional states to do something which they had thought was impossible.  World War One broke out in July of 1914, and by mid September following the First Battle of the Marne it had turned into a stalemate we know now as trench warfare.  Two million men took part in that hellish battle, resulting in horrible losses on both sides. There was a combined total of five hundred thousand killed or wounded.  They occupied practically the same lines of defense through the autumn months and now were entering the dead of winter.  Soldiers on both sides were faced living in muddy holes, with the enemy in near proximity ready to shoot them if they attempted an assault.  Only 98 years ago today, on Christmas Eve, the impossible became possible. 

What happened was so out of the character of warfare that you may already know the story. The following was a letter from the front lines that was published in The Dublin Evening Mail two weeks after Christmas Eve 1914.

 “Christmas in the trenches. It must have been sad do you say? Well I am not sorry to have spent it there and the recollection of it will ever be one of imperishable beauty. At midnight a baritone stood up and in a rich resonant voice sang, Minuit Chretiens. The cannonade ceased and when the hymn finished applause broke out from our side and from the German trenches! The Germans were celebrating Christmas too and we could hear them singing two hundred yards from us. Now I am going to tell you something which you will think incredible but I give you my word that it is true. At dawn the Germans displayed a placard over the trenches on which was written Happy Christmas d then leaving their trenches, unarmed they advanced towards us singing and shouting "comrades!". No one fired. We also had left our trenches and separated from each other only by the half frozen Yser, we exchanged presents. They gave us cigars and we threw them some chocolate. Thus almost fraternising we passed the morning. Unlikely indeed, but true. I saw it but thought I was dreaming. They asked us to spend Christmas without firing and the whole day passed without any fighting.”

This did not just happen on one small section of the front but happened all over the entire front.  There were countless stories of soccer games, singing, exchanging presents and plenty of other pleasantries.  Could you imagine yourself as that first German Soldier with the baritone voice?  Risking it all for the possibility of a day of peace.  The trepidation and fear he must have felt as he climbed the ladder to expose himself to possible enemy fire.  What was impossible only a short time prior, became possible.  Many individuals were able to change their emotional state in that moment and took a chance.  

Whether you are in a state of war or not, we are all capable of making huge changes in our emotional states to accomplish what we desire.  Remaining in a negative emotional state is often an effect of your thoughts.  If you can master your thoughts you can change your feelings.  Having positive feelings will lead to PositiveActions, leading to your desired results.

The first comes from Jane McGonical the creator of the website SuperBetter.com.   She has broken down resiliency into four different subsets: physical, mental, emotional, and social. I know what you are thinking… Adam?  Weren’t we only talking about emotions???  Yes, but you can use a plethora of techniques to change your emotional state.  Here are a few of the techniques she recommends on your quest to be SuperBetter.  Before we start, you must do them with me as we go through them.  First, make your hands into fists, and raise them over your head for five seconds.  One, Two, Three, Four, and Five! Great Job.  Second, snap your fingers exactly fifty times. 1, 2, 3, 4,… well I will assume you can count to fifty.  Three, do a quick YouTube or Google search for your favorite baby animal.  Fourth, send someone a thank you via text, email, Facebook, or twitter.  Now, after having completed these tasks, changing your thoughts you will have changed your emotional state.

What is one thing that you may have been thinking about that is bringing on negative emotions.  Ask yourself the question, is it holding you back from taking your positive actions or is this thought process helping you achieve what you would like in life?  If it is not the latter, take action to change your thought process.  This is not something that comes quickly, over time the change will occur.

I wish you all a happy holiday and to make this week the best week of your life.

Adam

Your BONUS video of the week. Watch Anthony Robbins change the thoughts and emotions of a man who has gone through incredible hardships. Learn his technique. Waring contains adult content that is hilarious!