I am very resistant to talk about the Coronavirus, but it’s happening all around the world and it’s having an impact on many lives, in one way or another. I may ruffle some feathers this week, but I have to say what is in my heart, with my soul intention being to help people enjoy an incredible experience of life. Having said that, with the exception of a small percentage, the majority of issues being experienced at the moment are not as a result of COVID or the other things we like to blame, but of stinking thinking.  

I have suffered from stinking thinking in my life, as I am sure you have also. Maybe even now as you are reading this. Side note: If you are getting angry, or get angry, with me, as you read this, you may want to check in with your thinking, and what you are focussing on. So many things that have happened in my life from; getting sacked as footballer, to relationship breakdowns, to business failure, to loss of money could be very easily blamed on other people and circumstances, but I can tell you that the reason for all of them is… stinking thinking!

So, what is stinking thinking? Would you believe, there is actually a definition of stinking thinking? As I typed ‘stinking thinking’ into Google, it came up with; any type of negativity. On www.pyschreg.org it says; people with anxiety or depressive disorders often suffer from obsessive repetitive, uncomfortable thoughts, or what we call ‘stinking thinking‘. On www.brainline.org it says; When thoughts are twisted by negative emotions, ‘Stinking Thinking’ is the result. So, why is it called stinking thinking? Because it smells bad and it sabotages our success, happiness, and, has a significant impact on our mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.

I wrote a post on social media this week, which I feel is worthwhile sharing again here;

In this time, when so many things have been taken from us and we are being told what we can and cannot do, it’s important to reflect on what we still have, what we can do, and, take powerful and positive action on what we can control.

We control; what we focus on, our attitude, our self-belief, our personal wellbeing, helping others, being creative, making a difference and the myriad of opportunities that are available if we just open our eyes and hearts to see them

Don’t waste this amazing day worrying about shit that’s out of your control. Have your #bestday ever!

Stinking thinking will ruin your day, week, year and life. I would love to encourage you to assess your thinking in each and every moment and if you notice a foul odour, then do something about it. Please don’t be offended by what I am about suggest right now, instead, be empowered that you can change, okay? If you are worried and stressed about getting COVID and you are blaming other people for their actions, that’s stinking thinking. Instead, why not focus on what you can do to improve your health, strengthen your immune system and protect yourself. If you live in Melbourne, and you are complaining about wearing a facemask, that’s stinking thinking. Honestly, if wearing facemask is the worst thing in your life, then your life is worth celebrating.

I keep hearing the phrase ‘iso-fat’ or ‘iso-weight.’ I didn’t know what it meant until recently. It means weight/fat that is put on because of being in isolation. Guess what? It’s stinking thinking. Isolation is not the reason people put on weight; the wrong food and not enough exercise is the reason. I have suffered stinking thinking during COVID like everyone else. When many of my speaking jobs started cancelling and drying up, I went far too quickly into self-pity and stinking thinking. I’m glad I didn’t stay there too long. After looking for solutions, getting creative and taking positive action, amazing things started and are still happening in my life. They can happen in your life also. All you need to do is give your thinking a good washing!

I want to finish this blog with one short story and my strongest recommendation you listen to my podcast with Dr Robb Kelly, called ‘The problem is not our drinking, it’s our thinking.’ Robb is now doing amazing things in the addiction space and helping thousands of people, but he suffered severely from alcoholism, and found himself losing everything and living on the streets of Manchester for 14 months. For many years, he had thought his problem was alcohol, until a moment when he finally realised it was not his drinking that was the issue, but his thinking.

It was 5:45am in Manchester and he had been homeless for many months. He was standing outside the liquor shop, in the middle of a cold winter, waiting for it to open so he could buy a bottle of vodka. He was wearing a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops and he was sweating and shaking with the DT’s, desperate for that vodka to help him settle his fear and nerves. The store opened at 6am, the owner who knew Robb said, ‘Your usual Robb?’ Robb nodded, handed over ten pounds and put his hand on the neck of bottle of vodka. In that moment, all of a sudden, the shaking stopped, the sweating stopped and a calmness came over his entire body, and, he hadn’t yet opened the bottle or taken a swig. It was right then, he knew the drinking wasn’t his problem, it was his thinking!

I am running with and encouraging you to adopt #bestday. No matter what circumstances you are dealing with right now, or in the future, just know you are in control of the one thing that can turn misery into miracles, helplessness into happiness, doubt into dreams and worry into wonder, that is your thinking. A great friend of mine said something that has stuck with for many years, and that is, when something seemingly undesirable is happening, it’s not happening to you, it’s happening for you. Clean up your thinking right now and make today your #bestday!