My wife was being really negative!

She was always so positive but now she was having constant ruminating negative thoughts. She complained that she was getting old, and her body felt sore and tired all the time. She said, “I’ll never be like when I was younger. It’s hopeless. I should just give up.”

I would try to encourage her but nothing I said seemed to make her feel better.

It was frustrating that I could help so many people but couldn’t help my wife.

But then it happened.

I left for two days to a speaking engagement and when I returned, she was like a different person. She was bouncing around the house all energized, positive and happy. She was light and free like the Kathryn I had always known. I asked her, “What’s going on. You were negative when I left and now you are all positive. Did you get a boyfriend or something?”

She laughed. “No, I had the zoom call with the health coaching company that tested my blood, genes and DNA.” It’s an advanced new innovative test and they told her that she had something really rare in a good way. They said we don’t see this often. They told her that she had the genes of an Olympic Athlete.

So now my wife was walking around the house saying, “I am an Olympic Athlete. I am an Olympic Athlete. Do you want to play tennis with me tomorrow. I’ll beat you Jon because I’m an Olympic Athlete.”

Then something interesting happened.

She started working out every day. She stopped saying she was old. She stopped complaining. She stopped drinking and started eating healthy. The soreness went away. The pain went away. The negative thoughts subsided as she tuned into more positive thoughts. She thought, walked and acted like she was an Olympic Athlete.

Everything changed because her thinking changed.

As a man thinks he becomes. As a woman thinks she becomes. As you think you become.

The thoughts you think and the words you say become the life that you live and the reality you experience.

I’ve been sharing this in my speeches lately and I’m sharing it with you because I wonder what would happen if you said, “I am powerful. I am strong. I am an overcomer. I am a difference maker. I am here to change the world. I am healthy. I am ready to take on any challenge that comes my way. I am more courageous than my fears. Life is tough but I am tougher. I am a warrior."

I spoke to the University of Texas football team during training camp in August and told them this story and had different guys stand up and say “I am ________. They chose the word that came after I am. It was very powerful. But even more powerful was what happened after my talk.

I went to the weight room and the team was standing in a circle around the strength coach.

He yelled, “I am!”

They responded and yelled, “My brothers keeper!”

He yelled again, “I am!”

They responded, “My brothers keeper!”

In all my years of speaking to college and pro sports teams it was the most powerful moment I’ve ever experienced.

I said this is going to be a different Texas team this year.

My wife is looking and feeling better than ever and right now so is the University of Texas football team. I hope they both keep elevating their thinking by reminding themselves who they are and who they want to become. I hope you do the same!

Fill in the blank. I am_____________!

Think it. Say it. Live it

I AM an ENCOURAGER……..and I hope this message encouraged you.