I’ve had a really long night tonight and getting home at 2:30am I knew I’d struggle to write a blog as tired as I am so thankfully my daughter Ashley was willing to write tonight’s blog post:

Awhile back my husband Alex and I set out on a 6 hour drive to Lake Powell. While I for one am a big fan of road trips (the gas station snacks, great scenery, naps, new music, do I need to go on!?), Alex… is not. Especially since he had to make the 6 hour drive back home only three days later for work. (How I convinced him to come under these circumstances is another blog for another time.) To say the least, he was not super thrilled about the next 96 hours ahead of him.

That is, until about halfway through the road trip down to Powell when I fell asleep and he pumped up a motivational podcast. After I woke up from my nap Alex’s dejected countenance had done a total 180. He was upbeat, hyped, and almost TOO happy… 🤔 Before I could even ask what changed he said, “I’m so stoked to be here! I’m livin’ a 10! Are YOU livin’ a 10!?”

Apparently his podcast talked all about having a positive mindset and being in control of your destiny. Whatever you believe about your circumstances is how you’ll feel about them. So the key is to ask yourself “Am I living a 10!?”, and if you reply “no”, then do something about it. Embrace your circumstances and change your mindset.

Though I laughed when he first said it (and has continued to say it every time one of us is in a “mood”… though it’s not so funny in those moments), I’m proud that he figured out a trick that would help him live his life to the fullest.

Maybe this trick works for you, too. Or perhaps it’s something else. Whatever the case, the important thing here is that we all do whatever it is that snaps us out of our pity parties and hypes us up about life. Our time here is too short to be satisfied livin’ a 5… so are you livin’ a 10!?

~Ashley Anderson Hill (daughter of Amy Rees Anderson, author of the book “What Awesome Looks Like: How To Excel in Business & Life” )