But, What about the GREEN Flags?
Throughout our life we’re taught to look out for red flags. You know…little things or signs that something is either wrong or about to go down an undesirable path. A red flag tells us that we need to be extra careful in the next decision we’re about to make. And rightly so. With all the attempts we experience where someone, or some deviant AI robot, is trying to scam, spam, misdirect, or take advantage of us several times each day, just getting to the end of the day without being tricked nor fooled is a great accomplishment.
It’s really become comical how red flags have become part of our daily life. I kid you not, there’s companies that want to lend me money in the worst (key word: worst) way. I know for a fact that I’ve pressed the “9” button on my cell phone over 500 times to be removed from their call list over the past year (base on an average of over 2 calls per day). They ask me to be patient because it may take up to 48 hours to remove me from their call list. But I know that secretly, each time I press 9, there’s someone in a dark room exclaiming “We have a live one here. They answered. If we amplify our attempts to call them by 10, eventually they’ll succumb to our evil ploy. Remember, if they press 9, AMPLIFY our attempts!”
I’m certainly concerned about the amount of my daily life that’s dedicated to red flag management. I’m inclined to contact my political representatives, but in many cases they, or someone trying to unseat them, are the culprit. My curiosity has me asking myself, “How did I get on so many lists that are being used by nefarious companies, and is there any possible way to be removed from these lists?” I apologize that I’ve yet to find an answer or solution to this question.
My red flag intuition points to the companies that are creating the lists that empower the ones who make the calls, texts, and emails to us are paying lots of money to hoping for significant Return On Investment (ROI). Without the lists of names, phone numbers, and sometimes a lot of additional information, all this time-wasting contact disappears from our lives. And by the way, what in the world ever happened to the “Do Not Call” list? It’s at this point that I’d like to apologize for all the complaining and whining today and I’d like to share a solution that has been working for me accepting that I’ll never be in a position to eliminate the time-wasting red flags that have become a part of daily life.
My solution? Well, I woke up one day and acknowledged how much I was focusing on “red flags” each day. That bothered me. I then decided to create a routine of identifying GREEN Flags each day. I defined green flags as anything I noticed that offered encouragement, hope, kindness, compassion, love, recognition of beauty (the sun, flowers, art, music, etc.), a sense of belonging, friendship, evidence of faith, and learning something new each day. WOW….JUST, WOW!! What a huge difference this has made in my life.
Now, I’m constantly on the hunt for green flags each day. Each green flag amplifies joy and happiness in my life. It’s a whole new perspective that provides success whenever I utilize it. While the red flags still exist, I’m giving them zero credibility, quickly dismissing the nuisance associated with them, and automatically replacing my former frustration with the green flags that I’m surrounded by. Easy? Yes, if you’re intentional about seeking, noticing, and acknowledging the plethora of green flags each of us are surrounded by.
One of the best examples I can share came from the book “The Noticer” written by Andy Andrews. I’ll paraphrase the story. A homeless character in the book was sitting in the sand that bordered a sea under a tree that provided shade. Sitting next to him was an older person attempting to mentor this broken individual and provide a little green flag perspective. The homeless man was extremely hungry, and the old man had two metal tins of food with him, one with Vienna sausages and one with sardines.
They were sharing the food when the mentor asked the homeless man “What are you eating?” The reply was “Same as you.” Jones (the mentor) came back with “Somehow, I doubt it, so I’ll ask again. What are you eating and where are you eating it?” “Vienna sausages and sardines in the sand.” Jones then shared “You see only the sand at your feet and what you are eating that you wish was something else (red flag). I’m dining on surf and turf with an ocean view (green flag). It’s all about perspective.
So, what about YOU? Have you allowed red flags to determine the quality of your day eating Vienna sausages and sardines in the sand, or are you pursuing a green flag lifestyle that has you enjoying a surf and turf meal with an ocean view? Another lesson from Andy Andrews book “The Noticer” is that whatever you focus upon, increases.
Focusing on the red flags of life each day increases the stress and anxiety associated with constantly feeling that the world’s out to take advantage of you. I’m not saying ignore red flags, I’m saying that they don’t have to require the attention and energy that you’re currently devoting to them. Focusing on the green flags of life each day can be a game-changer for you just like it has been for me. Want some additional guidance? Read the book “The Noticer” by Andy Andrews. It’s one of my all-time favorite reads and offers an abundance of green flag perspectives. Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!