what playlist are you choosing today?

This morning, I was happily riding my spin bike next to a very kind woman who I could see completely immersed and celebrating in her own mind to whatever playlist was bopping into her ears. It was a wonderful sight. I was sweating compersion.

I turned to her (impressively rocking her early 2000's iPod) and I commented: "you must be listening to a great playlist."

She smiled and said "Yaaaaas. I actually have had the same songs on this playlist for 20 years."

Wow. Was my guttural reaction.

Next came curiosity. "Do you ever change it up?" I inquired.

"Sometimes I choose different songs," she replied.

A few minutes, a handful of calories, and a peloton of pedals passed.

"I love that you are spinning with no music. That really forces you to be with your thoughts," she commented.

Yes, I thought, it is so nice. Being with yourself, being able to disentangle what is yours and not yours, and finding freedom in the space between thoughts.

But when those thoughts do arise...and, well, they often do, what are they saying?

Most people will find every viable and accessible distraction to avoid really being with their thoughts, which ultimately leads to less and less self-awareness and more and more mental clutter.

This message is about asking yourself today: "what song is playing in your head?"

The jam of the day is ultimately an automatic regurgitation of the subliminal messages you see and hear from your media, friends, family, and co-workers OR what you choose to repeatedly read and say to yourself everyday.

How much of your mental playlist is the former? The latter?

It's really a delight that we get to bring conscious awareness to our thoughts and can practice new thoughts if we choose to. I encourage you to exercise this power daily.

You are the curator of your very own radio station, {{ subscriber.first_name }}FM, and you get to choose what is streaming in each and every living moment.

-What energy do you want your playlist of thoughts to carry? -What words do you want your playlist of thoughts to contain? -What tone do you want your playlist of thoughts to hold?

Not only does your very own playlist of thoughts, {{ subscriber.first_name }}FM, permeate into every space you enter, it also dictates where you will go and how you will show up in the first place.

Are your thoughts taking you to where you want to go? Do you feel how you want to feel where you are?

Take some time today to ask yourself these questions and to select thoughts that you want on repeat--that is, on {{ subscriber.first_name }}FM.

Don't miss this opportunity.

The more frequently you repeat thoughts, the more deeply grooved and automatic they become in your existence. And the more vehemently, convincingly, enthusiastically, and affirmatively you repeat these thoughts, the stronger your song becomes.

What song do you want playing on repeat in your mind today?

I'm curious...but more importantly, I am excited for you to select and stream the very playlist that your heart desires.

I'll leave you with a practice: Write and/or say aloud your song--a unique affirmation, every day this week a certain number of times.

The formula for your affirmation is: I AM _____, ______, _____, and ________.

Choose a few adjectives that you want to choose. That make you feel most alive and confident and expansive. (hey, you could use those)

Commit to repeating your song 10-100 times a day. Easiest to begin with your notebook and write it out, feeling the love and excitement for the words. Next (or if you want to skip ahead) say those words out loud. Gesture in ways that add oomph to your declaration. Dance as you speak.

Notice how your chosen song--no ear buds necessary, becomes an internal source of inspiration. It's pretty dang amazing--our power to make music...the power of lyrics...the capacity to choose our own lyrics.

I recommend you explore the automatic playlist in your head and start singing the songs that you love to sing, again and again, until they become so fun that you could care less about the ear buds in your pocket.

This may be uncomfortable at first, but I can assure you that you will begin looking forward to the joy of being in your own shuffle of good vibes.

You are the curator of your unique mental playlist. It's about time you took over the DJ booth so it's playing "I Love Me" like there is no tomorrow.

In Big Love,

Coach Abby