Your First Thoughts and First Words

Hey, Cadre family doctor Kerry here. I was reflecting the other day on why I had such an incredibly joyful day. I mean, generally been in a good mood lately, but I just thought, wow, I had such a joyful day. I was so filled with joy all day, and I was reflecting on why that was the case. Like, how can I replicate this? When it dawned on me, the first thought I had that morning when I woke up was so thankful to be alive. I am so thankful to be feeling better because I've been sick for about three weeks.

I slept great. My bed is so comfortable. I'm just so grateful to be waking up today and to be able to just tackle this day. And the first words out of my mouth that day, before my feet hit the floor were, God, thank you for this day. Thank you for this opportunity to wake up today and to serve you. So it dawned on me that I have not always been this way. And I don't want this to just sound like some sort of, like, foofy, Pollyanna mindset, but I used to actually be very pessimistic, and it was an intentional change I had to make about my mindset, especially when I started my day.

Because if you would have asked me this question a year ago, two years ago, like, what was the first thought that entered your mind when you woke up? It probably would have been something along the lines of, oh, my God, gosh, that stupid alarm clock. I don't want to go into work. I hate my job. I just. I'm not looking forward to this. Like, I'm thinking about my to do list for the day. And then if you would have asked me what were the first words out of my mouth, it probably would have been some choice words for somebody in traffic.

It could have been. Maybe I was singing along to a song. Maybe it was the first words that came out of my mouth were actually, like, in a meeting at work because I live alone. Maybe it was yelling at my dog, the one roommate that I have, but I have intentionally changed that so that the first thought I have, I can't always control that one. But the first words out of my mouth, I have intentionally changed those words to always be something positive. And I can't tell you just what that has done for my mental health.

To start my day with gratitude and say, thank you, God, for something, for waking me up for my comfy bed, whatever it may be, but to start with gratitude, and for me, it's also a spiritual practice that then infiltrates my whole day in being grateful to my higher calling. My higher power that governs what I do and how I see the world. But so that's. It's also a spiritual connection for me when I start my day. But those first words out of my mouth are intentional. Before my feet hit the floor, getting out of bed, the first thought I can't always control.

But I can tell you that on the days that I do experience more joy and just a better attitude overall, my first thought is usually something more positive. If I wake up and I catch myself thinking, oh, my gosh, I don't want to get up today, I have this and this and this to do. The second I speak out those words of gratitude, it reminds me, ah, that's right. I'm going to set my intention for the day to be different, and I want to challenge you to think about this today. You don't have to change your first thought or even the first words you speak, but I want you to first just reflect on what they are.

Think about that for today. Think about that maybe for the next two weeks, write it down, and instead of changing it, just reflect on it, and then see what happens as you look at the rest of your day. Did that apply? Did that set an intention for what my day was like with those first words I spoke? And then once you've had some time to reflect on that and look at it and observe it, maybe it's time to change it. Maybe you want to have a different mindset when you wake up in the morning. I would challenge you to try it.

I invited the entire Cadre family to also reflect on this. So we would love to hear how this works for you and just what your experience is with it, too, because I think it's a really great way, especially if you're someone who struggles with being pessimistic, to just really start changing your outlook by that first thought and the first thing you say being something positive and in gratitude. So thank you for tuning in with me. God bless.