I say this co-counseling commitment aloud to myself every morning in the shower. I don’t always keep it perfectly through the day, but the point is, I’m working on it.

“It is logically possible, and certainly desirable, to end the ancient habit of paying attention to past distress, and replace it with a new attitude or posture of paying attention to interesting and rewarding concerns, such as the present situation. I now decide to do so, and will repeatedly so decide, until the ancient habit is broken.”

Notice how the phrasing implies that the present situation, no matter what it is, is an interesting and rewarding concern. A fascinating challenge!

While I say this commitment, I let feelings bubble up and release. Sometimes I might even need to have a little cry. Afterward, I feel fresher, more alert, and more positive.

Here’s an idea: We could encourage everyone by asking each other “What is going well for you?” as well as “What’s feeling hard for you right now?”