2 Steps to Lift Your Emotions – Instantly!

There’s a timeless principle that successful people live by, that I realized can be used as an immediate and powerful boost to your self-esteem and your emotions. Volumes have been written and spoken about this principle over the millennia, but I still see people not understanding or misunderstanding it all the time, and the result is a major amount of unnecessary stress.

The principle I’m referring to is what we call Be, Do, Have. I definitely did not invent this terminology, but it IS descriptive. It basically says that the person you are (Be) influences your actions (Do), and those actions inexorable create your results (Have). Think about it. If you’ve even BEEN really serious about improving your health, what you DID was exercise and eat better, and what you HAD over time was a 10 pound weight loss or some other positive result. It’s an amazing concept when you start learning about it, because you see it in every area of life without exception.

Here’s where Be, Do, Have can be used to help out in about 1 second. Any emotion is something that you HAVE, right? So when you’re experiencing emotions that you don’t like such as stress, frustration, sadness, or just feeling blue, understand that your BE and your DO become a two-step process for immediate positive change.

#1 – The BE Step – Make a Conscious Choice

The question of Who You Are is a little beyond the scope of this article and that’s OK. If you’re like me, the question itself can be a bit mind boggling, but I do know one thing about it. If you want to connect with the person you really want to BE, it will always involve making a conscious choice.

Identifying that you are in a place you don’t want to be and then choosing to do something about it is a uniquely human ability, and that choice instantly puts you more in touch with “the real you.” That’s always a good place to start. You’ve likely seen this phenomenon in your own life. If you’ve ever found yourself deep in debt, or physically or professionally down, you probably felt empowered the moment you really decided and committed to making a change. So the first step is to connect with your core by consciously choosing a different path.

#2- The DO Step – Take Some Action!

Once a choice has been made, you’ll want to take one more step, ACTION! The DO part of Be, Do, Have is the one that directly creates results, so make it work for you. A friend of mine recently reminded me that “action cures fear,” so what are the best actions to take for an immediate lift? I’ll suggest three:

1. Smile
It is been discovered that the physical act of smiling will instantly and measurably put you in a better mood, even if the smile is insincere. So even if it feels goofy, just put on a smile!

2. Say Something Positive
Brian Tracy taught me that the simple act of saying to yourself “I like myself” with any degree of enthusiasm also has a measurable and immediate impact on your emotional state. Try it and see! (bonus tip – saying something positive about yourself is one thing, saying something positive to someone else can be even more powerful if it’s genuine.)

3. Any Form of Exercise
The first thing most doctors will prescribe for depression is physical exercise. For an instantaneous boost, even walking a lap around the office or a few deep knee bends can work wonders.

Sound simple? Yes, I know, almost too simple. My advice is to try this two-step process once and be honest about what happens. Truthfully, it works great for a few moments. The real power lies where you get in the habit of choosing and using Be, Do, Have consistently. When that happens, you become more joyful, more powerful, and more attractive in every sense. Covey says that “you make your habits and then your habits make you.” Your success habits start one moment at a time, so get going!

Be Free!

Roger Seip
Instructor