MKE Week 8 – Of Battleships and a Rubber Band

This was a really busy week.  Partly good, it made me focus on the things I really needed to do, and I didn’t have time to goof off or waste.  Partly bad, as there were things I wanted to do but just did not have time for.  But I am pushing forward.

There was a lot of linking this week.  In the Master Key exercise this week, we used our imagination to picture a battleship, then “deconstruct” it.  When I was younger I was in the naval reserve. That was a great experience, I learned a lot about discipline, partying, expanding my limits, plus I met my husband<3.  Most of the time we were in land-locked Alberta, but some weekends and during the summer, we would go to the coast.  Most of my ship-board experience was on smaller ships/boats, but I remember going from Victoria to Vancouver on a ship much like the one in the feature photo.  So that is the kind of ship I imagined.  It is kind of fun to work backwards and think about how it all came together.  The first couple of days my mind wandered quite a bit, but each time I improved.

Then I linked.  I thought about the Blueprint Builder.  The second part of the formula states:

“I realize the dominating thoughts of my mind eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action, and gradually transform themselves into physical reality, therefore, I concentrate my thoughts for 30 minutes daily, upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture of that person.”

That made me think.  If I have a clear mental picture of the person I will become, I can work backwards and see how I can become that person.  At first I thought – I am not spending 30 minutes with this thought, but then realized, yes I am – all the activities are doing exactly that!  So, I am (starting right now) the kind of person who:

• Greets all with Love
• Is Always Positive
• Makes excellent use of Time
• Shares (love, gifts, prayers, smiles) with everyone
• Eats healthy foods
• Gets Stronger, Faster, More Focused
• Only shares Good news and Good ideas
• Is a Grateful Receiver and a Loving Giver

And about the Mental Diet: It is still a work in progress, but I have become more observant and aware.  I have a new strategy today. I have noticed a pattern. Days at home are mostly pretty easy on the Mental Diet, but when I go to work it is tougher. There is much more negativity there. So my strategy is something I read about somewhere a long time ago, combined with a loving affirmation from the Greatest Salesman. I put a rubber band on my wrist, and when someone says something negative (that might have sucked me into sharing in the bitching), I snap the elastic (lightly) and say (in my head) “shield of love”. That reminds me that:

“Just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger.” Og Mandino

That worked quite well today.  I really felt like I needed a strategy.  So here’s to completing Day 1 (again)!