The Band Wagon Effect

"Jumping on the band wagon" is a term for getting caught up in the excitement of the circus parade of life and joining in with others in what they are doing. You can use this as one of your magic wands for making positive changes in your life. Since we do learn from others and are social beings you can look for a 'band wagon' to jump on to help you with your needed or desired changes. A recent example in my own life is the use of a pedometer. I know I need to walk more. I have been hunting for ways to get myself in gear about this. Today my sister told me that the teachers in her Utah school district are "walking to Maine". The district has issued them pedometers and they record their steps with the school office. She told me a couple of funny stories about the way she feels compelled to make sure she gets every step recorded, such as not wanting to walk around her bedroom after she had changed her clothes until she got the pedometer back on her waistband so she didn't 'waste any steps'. Suddenly the pedometer my doctor had issued me didn't seem like such a lonely boring instrument. I found myself jumping on my sister's bandwagon of using a pedometer to motivate myself to walk. Of course the magic that surrounds me helped me find the old one I had very easily. It had been years and a different living location ago. Jo had also told me that if the battery was low it would not record accurately. That was also part of the magic giving me help. The battery was probably low when I got it, as it hardly seemed to record at all. I had just assumed that I wasn't one it would work on and put it away. But today I wore it all day, even with the low battery, just to acknowledge that I was trying to add steps. Tomorrow I will get a new battery and start recording in earnest. Each day, I am confident, I will try to make sure I at least do not walk less than the day before. I will also find ways to add steps. I suggest that you, as a wise magician, add the band wagon effect to your arsenal of magic wands. What changes do you need to make? Can you find others who are excited about making the same or similar changes? Jump on their bandwagon and go forward toward these changes. May the spark be with you.