Hey, kids. I want to share with you some really important advice on the power of words, especially the ones that you tell yourself, and how just changing one word can have an enormous impact on your life. Okay, so let me tell you a story. I was a part of a gym and we were doing hit training, high-intensity interval training, and it was hard, hard.
Everyone in the class was struggling. And we had another exercise coming up and we were not looking forward to it. And the trainer came up and said “No, don’t look at it like that. You should be appreciative that you get to do these types of exercises. This is a blessing. You GET to do these exercises. You don’t have to be here.”
And I was like, man, that’s a really deep and powerful way of thinking. And then recently, I was just listening to an audiobook called Atomic Habits by James Clear. So if you get a chance, make sure you read that one. It’s a very, very good book.
And the concept is if you change the word “have” to “get” it can have an enormous impact on your life. So whenever you are about to do something that you’re dreading or you don’t want to do, but you know you need to do it, you have to think of those words that you’re telling yourself. And if you hear yourself saying the words “have,” I want you to switch it with “get.” Change have to get, simple.
It takes you from a mindset of dread and it brings you into a mindset of gratitude and appreciation. Okay, so some examples you might come across as you get older
– I have to do my homework.
– I have to practice.
– I have to clean my room.
I want you to switch those words from “have” to “get.”
So instead of saying “I have to do my homework,” I want you to think “I get to do my homework.” Think about it. There are a lot of kids out there who aren’t able to do homework. Maybe they’re not physically or mentally able to do it. Maybe they have a learning disability. Maybe they’re handicapped. You should be thankful that you have the opportunity that you “get” to do your homework.
Same with “I have to practice.” No, “you get to practice.” Not everybody again is going to be physically able to maybe their family doesn’t have the means to put them in sports. Maybe they don’t have a place to play. Maybe they’re physically not able to do it. And God gave you all of these things so you should be appreciative that you get to do these things.
The same goes for “I have to clean my room.” Turn that thinking around too. Instead, think “I get to clean my room.” There are a lot of kids out there who don’t have homes. There are kids who have to share their rooms with other family members. They don’t have their own room. Maybe they don’t even have enough things in their room that they have to clean. You were given your own room, tons of toys, and a safe place to live and play.
These things are blessings. So come at these thoughts with a mindset of gratitude and appreciation. I know it’s a lot easier said than done but get in the discipline of changing your mindset.
I would you both to remember that as you are growing up, and you start doing some things that you may not want to do, but you know that you need to do them.
I love you both.
– Dad
