A thermometer is a type of person who is constantly reacting to the environment. If you are a thermometer, whether or not you have a good day is based on a summation of your experiences throughout your day. The kinds of people you meet and what happens to you determine what you end up with as you’re getting ready to go to bed.
A thermostat is a type of person that sets themselves up for the day. As a thermostat, you can “set” your internal state to one of love, high energy, gratitude or empathy for example. And that setting determines what kind of day you have, regardless of the people you meet or the experiences you have throughout your day.
In fact, the more that you are focused on having love, gratitude, high energy or empathy, the more your day will support those settings.
The best part is that we get to choose whether we want to be a thermometer or a thermostat. And much of that choice lies in the nervous system. There is first awareness. You need to be aware of yourself enough to know whether you’re being a thermostat or thermometer.
If you’re running on automatic pilot, chances are you’re being a thermometer, unless you’ve been practicing to be a thermostat.
With enough practice, the nervous system can make new wiring connections to help support you being a thermostat. Rather than reacting to your environment, you can learn to influence your environment. The way you carry yourself, the energy you transmit, the feeling that people get when they’re around you, is all done through the nervous system.
When we’re being a thermostat, we are more resilient, AND more resourceful. And I would also add to the list, more attractive. When we are being our natural selves, we shine! And the body and nervous system respond. We secrete hormones and chemical messengers of strength, stability, love, assuredness, and the list goes on.
This is how we can actually beat stress to a pulp, we don’t need to manage stress or live with stress, or make stress our friend. When we’re thermometer, “setting” ourselves to a state of connection, high energy, love (to name a few), stress doesn’t exist.
If you would like to explore how to change your state and how to be more of a thermostat than a thermometer, I invite you to join me for Shift: New Perspectives and Healthier Outcomes. To register, contact Ceci at frontdesk@thehappyspine.ca and let her know you’d like to sign up. It’s complimentary and it’s going to be a lot of fun!