Gwenyth & Practice

Gwenyth Paltrow tells us her success as a mother, actress, singer and author hasn't come easy.

"Everything in my life that is good is because I worked my a** off to get it and maintain it. It's easier to not change, not to do something good for you, not work on a relationship, not make yourself a meal, not workout."

This was so refreshing to read in my US weekly... (Don't judge.) I have struggled in my life with being pre-dispositioned to being cranky, a tad pessimistic and overall just kinda depressed. I used to get so jealous and mad that it seemed like everyone else around me was cheerful and seemed like their "default" mood with positive. It would TAKE something to change them to cranky, where I felt with me I was stuck the opposite. I was just wired to be sad and cranky and it would take something POSITIVE to make me happy. I didn't think it was fair. Did I do something to feel like this?

{Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of Peace will be with you} (Philippians 4)

The book I am reading talks about how when you think about practice, you think piano practice or practicing your multiplication tables. Rehearsing something over and over and over. It isn't necessarily fun. It's boring and hard. BUT. Paul tells us if we PRACTICE these good things (choosing to be thankful and choosing to dwell on the positive) we will feel peace.

This was SO freeing to me. Instead of not being "born" peaceful and not a worrywart and being doomed to feel this way forever, I realized I was not putting in the practice. Like Gwen said, she didn't get those killer abs by being jealous of everyone else's. To some people feeling positive may just come natural, but not to me. That doesn't mean however, that I can NEVER feel at peace. All these people that I used to secretly be jealous of because they got to be happy? MORE THAN LIKELY THEY WORK AT IT. What a concept. I think like this at the gym, but to my mood and worries? New to me :)