I Have To or I Get To

Somewhere along the line I heard that instead of thinking, "I have to do this, or I have do that," we can think or say, "I get to do this or I get to do that!" It's a much more enthusiastic approach to living. Even on a day where there are things we don't really look forward to doing, it really is a privilege that we get to do them at all. The year I spent volunteering in a nursing home home in my younger youth influenced me greatly in many ways. Sometimes on a day when I feel that I am overburdened or have a bad attitude, I remember that there are people who would love to have my errands and chores to do. They would love to be able to drive a car and do tasks and job related responsibilities.

I am trying to remember to think, or even say out loud, in the mornings -- "Today I get to . . ." and really enumerate some of the highlights of my day. For example, today I get to set up a book table at a conference in the Chicago area; meet lots of new people, tell them about Mary Ellen's new book - WRAP Plus which I love; meet Matthew Federici, the new Executive Director of the Copeland Center for the first time and have dinner with him -- WOW! -- What a lucky day I have ahead of me!

There are other days when I have said, "Today I get to clean the bathroom and make it sparkling since my dear friends are coming over; pick up my prescriptions; work on my project for work, and so on . . ." It doesn't really matter what you have lined up for your day, what matters is that you know that living it out is a "get to" and not a "have to" -- hooray!