No, No, No, Not Today: The Importance of Protecting Your Peace
If we were to rank the companies with the best television commercials, insurance giant GEICO has to get top 5 consideration--in my opinion, solely because of their "How happy are people to save hundreds of dollars on their car insurance?" skits. The most memorable "How happy..." GEICO commercial for me was the one that featured NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo.
In the commercial, a 7'2 Mutombo pops up in an office, a laundromat, at a toll booth, in an employee break room, and in a supermarket isle with the sole intent to deny men, women, and, yes, even children from shooting trash, clothes, coins, and a cereal box into their respective makeshift basketball hoops (trash cans, a laundry cart, a toll booth coin slot, and a shopping cart).
What took the commercial to the next level of hilarity for me was that after blocking the objects, Mutombo would smile, wave his index finger from side to side, declare "no, no, no," "not in my house," or "not today," laugh obnoxiously, and then run off to claim his next victim. (If you have never seen this commercial, please take 30 seconds to watch this and I promise it will make your day.)
For those of you who do not know who Dikembe Mutombo is, he is the second all-time leading shot blocker in NBA history, a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (tied for most in NBA history), an eight-time All-Star, and a 2015 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
Outside of his accolades, Mutombo is also remembered for his on-court antics. After blocking a shot in a game, he would taunt his opponents by waving his index finger, like a parent scolding a child, at the player and/or to the crowd--which is where the premise of the GEICO commercial originates from.
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There is a powerful quote from an unknown source that goes, "Anything that costs you your peace is too expensive."
If that's the case, we're on the verge of going broke because it seems like we get bum-rushed with peace disrupters ever single day. On the news. In the paper. On our timelines. In the comment sections of popular social media posts. In the workplace. In our texts. Quite possibly, even in our own home. Everywhere you turn, there seems to always be something lurking in the shadows with the intent to fu...*woosah*...to mess with your mood.
Not today, Satan.
One of our primary duties in life is to fend off negativity and to avoid bad energy. As Scripture says, "not be overcome by evil, but to overcome evil with good." The first step in changing your own life and potentially the lives of others, is being at peace with yourself. Thus, your peace should be guarded closely because, quite frankly, your livelihood depends on it.
Protect your peace like Dikembe Mutombo protects a basketball rim. And a trash can. And a laundry cart. And a toll booth coin slot. And another trash can. And a shopping cart.
Reject, any and everything--things and people alike--that has the potential to adversely affect your health (mental, spiritual, and physical), your mood, your productivity, your outlook on life, your interactions, and your perception of yourself. Whatever "it" is that puts you in a bad space, leave it alone.
It will be difficult, but you may have to stop interacting with certain people. You may have to look for a new place of employment. You may have to delete some social media apps off of your phone or stop following certain people and pages. You may have to stop watching certain news segments or tv shows. You are going to have to make the tough decision to eliminate certain elements from your life in order to safeguard yourself from negativity so that you can be the best version of yourself.
For me, I had to stop reading the morning newspaper because it seemed like everyday all I was reading about were murders, injuries, scandals, controversies, bombings, wars, abuse, and the like. I also try to keep social media apps off of my phone as an effort to not only stop wasting time but also to avoid seeing people complain about their lives and talk bad about others. I noticed that after reading negativity, in the paper or on my timelines, my mood was affected. As a result, it was necessary to curtail my interaction with both.
By reducing my engagement with those things, I truly feel the quality of my life has improved as I am making a conscious effort to only concern myself with things and people that lift my spirits, bring me joy, and add value to my life. I am choosing not to subject myself to negativity, but to rather put my time and energy into more fulfilling and uplifting things.
When you change the rules on what controls you, you change the rules on what you can control. Take ownership over your life. Eliminate external factors that have an adverse effect on your well-being and your inner peace. Dedicate yourself to only engage in activities that, and interact with people who, lift you up and inspire you to live a more fulfilling and rewarding life. Make being at peace with yourself a priority and just watch how your life changes for the better. You'll be "happier than Dikembe Mutombo blocking a shot."
