My Gift To You On Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies of all time. We all know the story line; it is February 2nd and Phil Connor is living the same day over and over again in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania. What would you do if you were stuck in one place and everyday was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered? This sounds like a predicament that so many people have today, especially in the hectic complicated time we now live in. If you need to get your mindset to move off of the I Got You Babe soundtrack, here are a few thoughts to consider. However, watch out for that first step, it’s a doozy!

Change.?If you wake up and everyday seems to be the same old grind, you have to begin to do things different than the ordinary. Phil learned how to play the piano and carve ice sculptures, so what do you want to learn about today that you always dreamed of doing? You have the power to make changes and take a hold of your life and the direction you want it to go in, so reinvent yourself and the world will notice, just like Rita did with Phil!

Choice.?You choose to be happy, or you choose to be miserable. When Phil realized the way to make his nightmare as painless as possible was to choose to come to grips with his predicament and do something about it, he learned to find his self identity. The only real difference between success and failure, happiness or misery, is which one you will choose each day when you wake up. Which one have you been choosing lately?

Compassion.?Phil only cared about himself, and not the betterment of others. Until Phil realized the way to get ahead and be happy was by helping others to get ahead and be happy, he could not move on and was stuck in one place. Phil finally realized this and rescued someone who was choking, fixed a flat tire, and caught the boy who fell out of the tree. In the end, caring and putting the needs of other people first as we should do with customers, coworkers, along with friends and family, will always serve us better in the long run and bring more joy to our lives.

There are five stages of death: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. Phil went through all of these during the movie. Many of us who are physically healthy still continue to lead a non peaceful unhealthy life because we have not yet come to terms with the fact of simply accepting the challenges we face, and figuring out what we need to change so we can go forward to the next day. As Phil discovered, everyone has the power to reinvent who they are and evolve into a much better version of themselves. All you need is the courage to want to begin anew.

Why not make Groundhog Day a new start to move on to happier days ahead one moment at a time, one day at a time, by helping one person at a time. So today, February 2nd, this message is my gift to you.