Superman Is Back!

(I don’t mean me, although I still wish my kids thought I was Superman. Thank you Christi for the costume, but even with it they aren't buying it!)

When I was young, beginning around my early teen years, I decided that the mind is the most powerful thing in the world. I believed that if humans could only learn how to tap into the powers of the mind then we could do so much more. I imagined that we were so close to “super” capabilities through the simple use of our minds. Okay, I was into superheroes big time. (I still am, and I plan to see Superman in the theater as soon as I can!) I also grabbed onto the myth that people use only 10 percent of their brain. Maybe if the 10 percent myth were true, I would still believe that people are capable of super powers. Or maybe I just want to believe.

As I grew older I began to accept that people are just people and that super powers must be left to science fiction and fantasy. The movie “Phenomenon” didn’t help me put my theory to bed. I’m such a sucker for film. They certainly can make me feel that if someone can think it, then someone should be able to do it. That’s stuff of fantasy, right? Just maybe that is why I have a hard time understanding people who DON’T like superhero movies. Where’s your imagination? Can’t you imagine how cool it would be to have these super powers? I think the opinion is that there is no point in imagining something that can’t happen. My answer to that is that if it provides you any kind of positive benefit, then it is worth it. Whether it is a moment of confidence imagining you are Batman, the high that comes with the feeling that you can fly, or the simple smile that comes with thinking you have special capabilities. I think it’s all worth it.

I became a certified professional coach from a school that teaches the power of the mind, or in their words, the power of choice. I lived most of my life thinking that the mind is the most powerful thing in the world. This idea, along with my intuition, made my life so much easier and happier. My conscious mind now understands why it is the most powerful thing in the world. I wake up every day with the knowledge that what I say and do is my choice. I choose to find things to be happy about instead of things I could be sad or angry about. I choose to give myself pause in the heat of the moment so to not react out of anger when a value of mine is crossed, and use that pause to come up with an alternative reaction. I choose to accept those whose opinions differ from mine as simply people with different perspectives and experiences and not view them as wrong. I choose to love and forgive, and live with a smile.

I do not make these choices 100% of the time, but I try. Our choices may not come easy, but with practice we can condition our minds to make the difficult choices that will lead us along a happier path. We have millions of choices every day. Be aware of them. Be aware that our choices represent our behavior and attitude, and help define who we are. Join me in practicing to make better choices for our happier lives, and growing the power of our minds. Become super.

Enjoy Life.

Randal Suozzo, CPC, ELI-MP

P.S. Interested in hearing about what the power of the mind can do for you? Check out this TED Talk by the world’s leading positive psychology expert and bestselling author Shawn Achor entitled, The Happy Secret to Better Work.