In the movie, “Yes Man,” Jim Carrey is challenged to change his self-talk of habitually saying “no” to almost everything to, “Yes, I will do that.” It’s a great premise in a movie that received mixed reviews, and Carrie’s performance illustrates the huge changes that can result from shifting one’s perceptions.

Because his character, Carl Allen, tells himself that he will say “yes” to everything, there are some admittedly wacky results, but also many poignant moments that reveal themselves.

When our self-talk permits us to think freely from an open mind to consider possibilities other than what we have been conditioned to hold as “the answer,” surprising growth and evolution can occur.

How has your self-talk been about an automatic and reflexive “no” – perhaps learned from a parent who modeled that behavior when you were growing up? What would happen if your self-talk allowed you to think more creatively? Have you observed anyone who could serve as a role model for you whose behavior indicates openness in her or his self-talk? How can you shift your self-talk to diminish your limitations?

Surrender can mean defeat . . . or surrender can mean transcendence.

If it’s defeat, we are called upon to be strong, learn from what happened, and move beyond what we were fighting against. We can learn to be resilient.

However, surrender can be useful if thought about in the context of giving in to something ultimately larger than ourselves and yielding to it for our own growth and evolution.

Writer Sara Paddison, “When we know love matters more than anything, and we know that nothing else REALLY matters, we move into the state of surrender. Surrender does not diminish our power; it enhances it.”

Can you think of a place where “Sweet Surrender” has significantly enhanced your power? Are there any areas of your life where yielding to love or some other great force would actually make you far more powerful as a human being? Has your not surrendering actually diminished you in the past? What are the ultimate consequences of your not surrendering?

Copyright 2009. E. B. Hutt Bush and Coaching for Results, Inc.

This week we will be discussing gratitude.

Marcel Proust said: “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

All of us have had people in our lives who we are grateful for. It is easy
to get lost in our daily activities, and feel alone in our endeavors. We
must take time to remember those that enrich our lives, and those that
support us in our evolution as human beings.

Who can you think of in your life that has made a significant impact in
growth and development? Take time today to remember those
individuals and be grateful for their influence in your growth.

Copyright 2008. E. B. Hutt Bush and Coaching for Results, Inc.