Drag Illustrated Issue 121, May 2017 | Page 55

D.I. COLUMNIST The Real Deal with Tommy D'Aprile KINSLER A HOND A s usual, I have something to write about that will prob- ably call you out in some way shape or fashion. What I would like to bring to your attention is some- thing everyone has to deal with daily, something that follows you from the moment you get up to the time you go back to sleep at night. What is it you might ask? Your thoughts; your tiny, tiny thoughts that hold big, big power. How many of you know that you can’t live a positive life with negative thoughts? Are you someone who gets up after a race weekend and says, “I hate Mondays, I hate my job, I can’t stand the traffic, my life stinks!” and then wonders why you’re not nearly as positive or productive as you’d like? Duh! Let’s see, I wonder why I have so many bad days. Well my friends, as a man or woman thinks—so they become. The crazy thing is that most people don’t even realize this and go their whole lives won- dering what the problem is at heart. Well, I have to be honest here; it’s you! You are your own problem and your stinking thinking has caused you a world of pain and hurt. You pour poison in your glass and are all too eager to drink it up. You might think you would never drink poison, but what you don’t comprehend is that harnessing the wrong thoughts can kill you just the same. They spread negativity like wildfire and can corrupt everyone around you. Now, the upside is that you have the power to control it. You can break the cycle. And it doesn’t take money; it doesn’t take education; it doesn’t take talent; it just requires a fresh perspective, a new look at what your life could be, and a willingness to make life-saving changes. A prominent man once told me if I want to see my future, just take look at the friends I kept. Countless studies have shown that you be- come like the people you hang around with most closely, so it should come as no surprise that if you are surrounded by very rude and nega- tive people you might gravitate toward becoming that way, too. On the flip side, if you associate with positive and uplifting people your life may lead toward a happier, healthier you. This may scare some of you, but it’s also a call out to look around and see if you like they way your future is panning out. Several years ago I had a serious problem with my language. It seemed that no matter what, every couple of sentences I said included at least one foul word. I recognized the problem but really couldn’t understand why until one day I stood with a friend I valued very much. He told me to keep quiet and just listen to the people around me for a couple days. Sure enough, I kept my mouth shut and heard every one of the words I kept saying. Just listening gave me the eye-opening experience I needed; I was be- coming just like all my foul-mouthed friends. Not to say they weren’t great people that I still value to this day, but I had to make a change and surround myself with people I wanted to be more like in the future. It wasn’t easy, but it’s a change I don’t regret for a second. The bottom line is that your thoughts can make or break you; they are among the most powerful tools you have to change your life. Now, that change can be for either good or bad, but the good news is you have control over the outcome. You just can’t worry about upsetting people by making the right choices for you and your family. I know this is speaking directly to some of you out there, which is why I felt so compelled to bring it up. If you can master your thoughts you can control your feelings. So many people live by feelings alone, but that can be a very scary ride. It’s much better to choose what kind of day you are going to have before you get out of bed in the morning and if that stinking thinking tries to sneak in bed with you, throw it out! The truth is, you can control your destiny and it all starts with having the right thoughts. As always, the choice is yours alone to make. Tommy D’Aprile tommyd@dragillustrated.com May 2017 ® NEW REL 4 BAR Excellent Durability Monster Mesh TM Filters T BILLE We Do It All Huge amounts of premium quality filter media for minimum pressure drop. Precisely Repeatable High Speed STO ld M Bypass Our CU s ifo an M e Mad ! Set Records 12AN & 8AN Fuel Rail Largest on the Market ER BLOW HATS Quick Disconnect Bypass WORLD’S Largest Stocking Distributor Kinsler Leak Tester Check engine leakage; barrel valve setting. 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