I let slip recently that I'm the kind of person who goes through life - honesty, every single day - with a soundtrack playing in my mind.
It's more than an inner monologue. Way better than your inner critic. It's your inner musical, nay, Inner Rock Opera.
I'm a believer. Not just cause a good soundtrack makes your day better, and it does, but because it actually has the power to shape your future.
Apparently, science is discovering more and more about the power of music to change what's going on in your brain, and if you know you know - Change what's going on in your brain and you can change your future.
Well I'm no Chris Bosch but I do know the power of a great pre-game routine - especially when it comes to the soundtrack.
Every year at this time I start thinking about the areas of my life that matter most and reflect on the kind of person I want to be, and the kind of person I "sense" God is creating me to be. (I put that word in quotes cause at various times in my life I thought I knew exactly what God was up to, while at other times, I'm sure I have no clue...)
For me it's areas like, relationships, leadership (which includes work / career stuff, as well as all the stuff in my toolbox that I dig into as often as I can to help people make the change they want), Health (physical and mental) and all the stuff relating to my faith that get the most time in this season of reflection.
This Year I've started planning my reading list and if I get to it I'll make a post about how last year's reading list went.
I've starting "feeling" a pull to spend more time investing in people who are trying to take others places I've gone or would like to go too...
As my wife enters an exciting new season in her academic career, we have recognized the need to be more intentional that we ever have before to schedule time for each other, and all the things we like doing together (dinners out, bookstore tours, taking walks, hosting friends, karaoke?). And I'm working on some projects that will keep me honest, and some that might remake parts of me. Stuff I'm super excited about. I'm talking about butterflies kind of stuff. And a thing or two that make me terrified.
Inevitably when this time a year comes around, and my eyes start searching the horizon for the image of my preferred future, I'm also forced to face the image of my disappointing sad sack edness. I'm not yet the person I'm becoming. In some respects I'm not even the person I once was. But I'm turning 50 this year. 50 is no time for looking back. 50 is for looking forward. Deciding what you want to be when you grow up.
So as you enter the New Year, what are you working on, dreaming of, planning for? Maybe you're still looking back with regret about the person you see looking back at you.
I'm sure there is some good science out there on the benefits of the sting of a little regret, but if your medial orbitofrontal cortex has been dragging you down lately, shake it off. Grab some ear buds and turn this up to 11.
Consider it a gift, from my inner soundtrack to yours.
"Cause everybody loves a comeback, so come on back now come back come back. Every body loves the underdog, well that's my dog, that's my dog!"
na na nana, na na nana nana na nana.