Would You Jump off a Bridge if Everyone Else Did?

Dr. Martha’s Monday Morning Motivational

Monday, April 4, 2011

As a child you may remember being asked, “Would you jump off a bridge if everyone else did?” This statement was usually the response you received when wanting to do what everyone else was doing or having made a decision based off of your friends and not common sense.  Your response to your parents probably coincided with your personality or mood and ranged from: “No!” “Yes, I would.” “It depends on how high the bridge is…” or some other creative response depending on your level of sarcasm.  Regardless of your given verbal response the internal response was “No way! That’s a stupid question.” Whether or not you would jump off the bridge was meant to get you thinking.  It was more of a “use your head better” metaphor.

In my thirties, I find myself becoming more and more like my dad.  Making sure I get to bed on time, budgeting, running businesses, cleaning the house, being rational, and many other things that scare me for a second and then I realize maturing is a good thing.  Maturing doesn’t mean I am getting older but rather wiser.  I can stomach getting wiser!

One of the many things I realized today is that “Would you jump off a bridge if everyone else did?” is more and more prevalent EVERYDAY in my life.  I decided recently it is the perfect rhetorical question to use as a response to get people to THINK! I haven’t started saying it YET but this May is about to be the start of yet another thing I do that my father does.  Thank God he turned out OK!

I am constantly educating people on the “what to do’s” in life.  And they are shocked! Because it is different than what they were taught by there MFTPs (mother, father, teacher, preacher) and different than what everyone else is doing.  The social norm to them is less scary but this is all perception because to me the social norm is scarier as it leads down the path of sickness, disease, poverty, and negativity.

There are a few things that I personally believe it is ok to take the option less frequently picked and not jump off the bridge with everyone else.  In my opinion, there are some choices that need thought, deep thought because making the choice that everyone else in the United States makes is pretty much jumping off a bridge.  Choices regarding Healthcare/Lifestyle, Thought, and Finances are probably the tallest three bridges with the shallowest water.

Healthcare, unless you live in a Redwood tree in California and are pretty much removed from society you know that our healthcare system is on a downhill slope and is headed NOWHERE and fast! Yet, people refuse to make any necessary changes.  They keep doing the same things they have been doing and expecting change.  The lifestyle choices we make play a HUGE roll in the decline of the American healthcare system.  The irony is that when recommendations are made to stop fast food, quit diet coke, eat live and healthy foods, get regular chiropractic care, exercise, stop all vaccines and the abuse of pharmaceutical meds there is hesitation.  Personally, I don’t get it. What the average person in America is doing is not working YET they continue to do it out of fear of being different.  Yet, being different would be being healthy, see the irony?  I have decided the perfect rhetorical question to use as a response for those who question advice on healthcare and lifestyle is simple “Would you jump off a bridge if everyone else did?”

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Example:

Me: “I really think you should stop eating fast food as it has more negative than positive effects to the human body, is useless for nutritional purposes, and doesn’t decompose in landfills.”

Person: “Everyone else eats and they aren’t dead.”

Me: “They aren’t dead YET. Would you jump off a bridge if everyone else did?”

Person: “Well no that’s a stupid question.”

Me: “Define Stupid Question?”

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Thought is another bridge above shallow water.  Many people live with the misconception that their thoughts are separate from their reality.  They have no idea that their thoughts DIRECTLY affect their reality.  That when their thoughts are positive, happy, full of joy, and affirming that their life is the same and abundant.  The same holds true of negative, dark, disturbing, dreary, negative past experience thoughts hold them back and rob them of a life of abundance, keeping them in their past.

We are always reminded, as children to choose our words wisely as to not hurt others because you can’t take words back once they are said.  The same rings true today, its imperative to choose our words and just as importantly our thoughts.  Realizing the power of thoughts allows you to begin to speak your life into existence.  Your words and thoughts should be catapults as opposed to anchors that hold you in your past or keep you from growing and progressing.  Speak wisely and positively, words and thoughts matter.

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Example:

Me: “Did you know you have the ability to control the outcome of your life by the words you choose.  For example, using loving and affirming words and thought will create a life that is abundant in love and blessings.””

Person: “Sounds like hocus pocus, everyone I know speaks like I do and they are fine.  Life is what life is what it is and something you have to do.  You are weird.”

Me: “That’s where we differ I see life as a “get to” and not a “have to” because I think it’s a “get to”! See the difference?”

Person: “I am sticking to what everyone else does makes more sense.”

Me: “You have that right, life is beautiful as it is your choice.  But, if everyone jumped off a bridge would you do it because that made more sense because they were jumping or would you step out of your comfort zone?”

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Just like most areas in our life finances are one that we learn from watching others whether family, people in our sphere of influence, or just society.  The irony is that the current model that we as Americans have is not working.  As a nation we are in debt and the average person is financially floundering.  The average American has multiple credit cards with outstanding debt, has a lack of savings and what they do have saved they have in an inaccessible location until a certain age or there are penalties.  To sum it up, most have no money and the majority of those with money have no control over their finances and their money is unattainable.  Financially they are out of balance.  Having one area out of balance throws all areas out of balance whether business, finances, relationships, etc… we must retain the intricate balance to have a solid foundation for growth.

There are so many things outside of the social norm that will allow you to obtain financial balance yet people are so afraid to step out of their comfort zone.  Creating a budget is the first easy step to make sure that you are spending within your limits and not living outside your means.  Placing 10% of your paycheck into savings and always having three months salary is a great way to feel secure because you actually have security.  Using a whole life insurance policy rather than the usual 401K allows you to over fund and still have money which is accessible if an emergency arises.   The aforementioned are some simple tricks of the many out there yet people are afraid to step out and forge a path that is different from society.

Many times I give them my friend Dr. Janice Hughes book, Inspired Wealth, to help them understand that while it is a road less traveled it is the road to financial balance. (If you want more info on her book let me know.) Jumping off the financial bridge with everyone else will be sure to land you in a pool of debt make sure you don’t follow the masses on this one!

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Example:

Me: “How is your financial situation?”

Person: “Oh you know robbing Peter to pay Paul.  Thank God for my 401K!”

Me:  “You know there a lot of little adjustments you can make in terms of your finances such as whole life insurance, monthly budgeting, and saving 10%, right?

Person: “That seems a little farfetched. I appreciate it but Ill stick with the way my parents and grandparents did it!”

Me: “I get your hesitation to try something new, but I do believe it is worth a try!  I mean just because everyone jumps off a bridge doesn’t mean you will, right?”

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Just like in your childhood the statement, “would you jump off a bridge if everyone else did?” was meant to make you think about your own choices and not the choices of others the same holds true today! So, start thinking for yourself and realizing different can be good especially when it opens doors to an abundant future! Life is to be enjoyed and we are meant to live a life full of blessings.  God wants us to live our life full out and have an abundance of blessings and riches! We just have to believe that and be willing to make choices that separate us from the pack! Simply stated we have to be willing to not jump off the bridge when everyone else does!

Love. Laugh. Adjust.

Dr. Martha Nessler, Innate Girl