The Antique Shop Method: Finding a Hidden Gem that Can Change Your Life

As usual, I was walking the dog this morning, minding my own business when POW! I had another epiphany about thoughts (my favorite subject).

My clients will often ask me how the heck they can identify just one thought at a time. Our brains seem to want to offer us so many thoughts so quickly that we may feel overwhelmed and have a hard time slowing down to choose just one to work on.

It struck me that this is a little like how I used to feel when going into antique shops. I’d walk in, look around and think “what a bunch of dusty old junk.” I would feel overwhelmed by all the “estate sale clutter” and wonder why people actually CHOSE to go antique shopping.” How can this even be a thing??

One rainy, blustery day while weekending with friends in Lakeside, Michigan, the weather was too poor to hang at the beach and I didn’t feel like staying in our cabin by myself. With nothing much else to do, I accompanied said friends to multiple (!) antique stores. I put on my big girl pants and went along.

This time, expecting to be bored, sneezing in all the dust, and ready to plant myself onto the folding chair by the door (which all antique shops seem to have), I actually saw an item that interested me just inside the door (a darling little china vase with tiny roses on it, that I now own).

I stopped in my tracks and picked up the cutie vase to have a good look. And found I wanted to keep going down the aisle to see what other hidden gems there might be. I looked at one, and only one, item at a time, as I moved along each row. And, once I focused on one object at a time, I saw LOTS of other interesting things to pick up and study!

Whaaaaat?? Hey, is this ME enjoying myself in an antique shop? Darn tootin’!

I’ve never looked back since. Now, I actually seek out opportunities to go “antiquing.” I don’t even have to buy anything to enjoy myself.

So, the point of this story, if you didn’t already guess, is that your first few looks inside your brain may be like my first look around the antique shops. No doubt there may be some overwhelm when you try to discover the thoughts being offered and you’ll definitely find some dusty ones.

But once you are able to pull out one thought at a time to examine it, pick it up and look closely at it, suddenly the overwhelm goes away and you get to decide if you want to “buy it” or try on a different one that suits you better.

Why? Say it with me, y’all.

Because:
Your thoughts cause your feelings.
Your feelings cause your actions.
And your actions are responsible for all of the results you’ve created in your life.