self-talk : BouncebackCafe.com

Talking to Ourselves

February 22, 2011 - Posted by PattiAnn

Photo credit: Ruth L

The words that we carry in our minds are able to change any moment.

— John Ortberg

Everything I have ever done has been in spite of my view of myself. Over time, I’ve learned that by putting the right words in my mind, I can greatly increase my flexibility and creativity. I can improve my view of myself, at least temporarily.

Many years ago, when I was working for Big Business, my manager announced Continue reading » Talking to Ourselves

Standing Room Only… So???

February 8, 2011 - Posted by Ellie

Photo credit: jordanfischer

How do you define yourself?

While I was assigned to the space shuttle program, my job included ordering supplies. One of the engineers requested a new dictionary. Following regulations, I asked him why he needed it. I expected his answer to be “My old copy is lost” or “The cover is falling off.” Instead he said, “My current edition defines spaceship as an imaginary aircraft.’” He got his new dictionary.

— Thomas Ellsworth
as told to Reader’s Digest

There was a time – not too long ago – when I told people (and myself) “I don’t do standing-room-only.” Yet just this Sunday I found myself standing because there were no seats available. (I’m still not sure why the 10:30 AM Mass was so crowded, it wasn’t Easter and it wasn’t Christmas but it was standing room only!) Anyway… As I stood there, I realized Continue reading » Standing Room Only… So???

1 of 8 Girl dances at water's edge on Morro Strand State Beach

What’s NOT Being Said

June 29, 2010 - Posted by Ellie

Photo credit: mikebaird

What if you’re only telling yourself the negative side of the story?

Every waking moment we talk to ourselves about the things we experience. Our self-talk, the thoughts we communicate to ourselves, in turn controls the way we feel and act.

— John Lembo

When I saw the photo that tops this post I thought: I want to feel like that! Powerful, exuberant, graceful, flexible, free. But I don’t. I’m beginning to realize that there’s something more I need to say to myself… there are some missing messages in my self-talk.

And while I was wishing I felt like the woman in the photo, I also remembered when, not too very long ago, PattiAnn gave me feedback about my post, I Want to Choose Easy – she said Continue reading » What’s NOT Being Said

How Do You Eat An Elephant?

April 7, 2010 - Posted by PattiAnn

photo credit: akunamatata

Answer: a bite at a time

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

— Mahatma Gandhi

Sometimes we think too much. Admittedly we often hear stories that make us wonder if some people ever think, but our predisposition to plan leaves us walking a fine line between thinking, planning and worrying.

In his book, Every Day Deserves a Chance, Max Lucado explains the secret to success in any long-term endeavor.

You last the long race by running short ones. Don’t swim 2.4 miles; just swim to the buoy. Rather than bike 112 miles, ride 10, take a break, and bike 10 more. Never tackle more than the challenge ahead. [emphasis mine]

When we face challenges, we often talk ourselves out of even trying because we project into the future. We don’t take it buoy-by-buoy or block-by-block or even day-by-day. We look at the expanse of time in front of us and think, Continue reading » How Do You Eat An Elephant?

Optimism is as Easy as A-B-C

September 21, 2009 - Posted by Ellie

photo credit: MrVJTod

How about it, will you do your ABC’s for 48 hours?

PattiAnn and I used to be (well I guess we still are) experts on sales and service performance improvement. That was our niche. What caused us to shift our focus to resilience?

Going From Hero to Zero

Well, if you are lucky enough to know and love sales or service people, you’re familiar with the daunting tasks they face: they search for and secure elusive new business, soothe the inevitable irate customers, satisfy the demands of anxious managers, overcome all the quirks and foibles of their company’s operational systems and, despite all their dedication and perseverance, they go from hero to zero on the first day of every month! That’s pretty darn discouraging. So, to serve our customers better, PattiAnn and I hunted for and found better bounceback solutions to help them with their daily heapings of adversities.