I have been thinking about this topic for a while and thought I would put it out here and see if it catches on.
I would like to focus on what is changing in our lives in regards to our learning to focus on ourselves. How are we controlling others less and ourselves more? How are we taking care of ourselves? What are our triumphs - big or small?
It can be anything. Maybe today I exercised more, ate better, or drank more water. Perhaps I understood a recovery concept more or showed compassion. Perhaps I was of service. Perhaps I was simply gentle and forgiving to myself. Maybe I had a good day at work or let someone cut me off in traffic without flipping them the bird .
I believe celebrating our growth is essential and having others be able to be supportive and validate these efforts is good for us.
My practice everyday is to meditate in the morning and towards the end of that meditation think good, positive thoughts about how my day is going to go. After this quiet time I sit down and actually make a list. This has done a few things for me. A. Taught me to be more gentle with myself on those days I don't accomplish all of my list (and sometimes none of it) ... because it happens. B. Acknowledge the things I do accomplish. I seem to be really good and beating myself up for those things I don't do or do well, but rarely see the things I do.
So, I thought we could simply offer a place to post things like:
I took a nice long bath.
I played the guitar for an hour.
I forgave someone.
or maybe even ...
Today was not a good day and I am ok with that ...
And so on. I will start in my next post. Feel free to play along!
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Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. ~St. Francis of Assisi
I ate better today. I am trying really hard to learn how to eat healthier. Since last night I have had raw kale, an apple, yogurt, blue berries, whole grain and nut cereal and tomato soup (that is a standard ... hope it is good for me.)
Took my supplements which I hope to stop after I have the healthy eating down all the time. Drank lots of water.
Leaps and bounds over stuff coming out of the freezer in a box and chasing it with a soda.
__________________
Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. ~St. Francis of Assisi
Today I rode my exercise bike. I quit talking long enough for a colleague to take charge and for me to allow her to have that power even though I was dying to be in charge. I cried at lunch over my husband leaving me but decided not to dwell and instead prayed. I lost my patience w my daughter after an entire hour of her playing her recorder and crying from frustration that she couldn't do it perfectly. I resisted the urge to just play the recorder for her so she could move on to the next level and I helped her switch to a new activity. She is now happily singing in the shower. I realized that my husband would judge me so harshly when I became frustrated w our daughter yet he never helped her w her homework or allowed her to work out her frustrations. He would have just left for a meeting w me all alone w her and I would have felt unappreciated frustrated abandoned and all alone as a parent. Not to mention like I had been judged harshly by him as well. Today I do not expect anything from him. I realize that the illusion of us being co-parents is gone. It was always me. Now that I realize it is all on me I am no longer resentful. Instead I feel blessed that I get to be the full time parent who will always be the one to do homework listen to the crying and frustration and can always be the one she cries to. I still hurt over him but maybe w time the pain will ease some... Maybe when she is grown she will realize that although he was the fun one. I was important too
You are important too. Congratulations on your triumphs yesterday! Yes, time will ease your pain.
Today I went to a place I read about on the internet where the migratory birds are supposed to be so I could photograph them. I spotted it while driving to a fishing tournament with my Dad last weekend and promised myself I would go this week. It was at 55mph but I could have sworn I saw a bit of trash in the parking lot so today I grabbed a trash bag and my camera, my gloves are in the car.
Got there without a problem (I am somewhat new to the area), pulled up ... boy that is a lot of trash. Grab the bag ... go to grab my gloves and I took them out after my vacation last week. Oh well. I wil bring them next time and perhaps a rake and a trash bag too. Let's walk around and see what this place is all about. It was TRASHED. Sometimes humans just gross me out. I was still determined to clean it up until I stepped in some human feces ... then I thought ... "Well, forget it. They call wallow in it if they want to. I will clean it up and it will be like this a week later." There were just a handful of birds, the water was not nice at all, dead fish etc. Took a few shots and decided it was a bust.
For some reason I turned out of the parking lot away from home and kept driving. Turned down a road I had never been on, no idea where it leads and wound up on a dirt road in the middle of the delta at sunset. Found a few birds and when I zoomed in on the sunset I could see the windmills. It was wonderful. The mosquitoes were the size of birds themselves ... in February.
Turned out to be a nice day. I exercised well today - dance - and ate well also. Worked hard and it is Friday! Sleep in a little tomorrow.
I hope to hear your triumphs today. Hopefully the pics will make you smile.
-- Edited by willing on Friday 17th of February 2012 11:22:24 PM
Yesterday was a good day. I went to orientation at the women & children's center and took a friend along.
I had an emotional reaction to this and it was interesting to watch. I think in my past I would have gone in and judged them against myself. I did a little, but it was different this time. It changed from "why don't you try harder ... because I did ..." to "I know you can do this, I did." I had a hard time not crying while I was there. The beauty of people gathering together to help those in need, to give them a hand up but not in a useless, enabling way. They help these women heal and teach these women to be self-sufficient. That is the goal.
I was overwhelmed and had to come home and just sit with it and process it for a bit.
Before I wouldn't have felt anything but judgement. The compassion and empathy felt good. It took my energy and I was tired, but it felt wonderful. I am going to be a part of this and I am so thrilled.
I was scared to go. I had no idea what I had to offer. Then suddenly we passed the empty garden. A wonderful place with raised beds and a sprinkler system. My heart filled with joy. I found my place. When I told the coordinator that this is what I was interested in her face lit up and she said they also had a garden at the restaurant they run that needs volunteers as well.
The picture that keeps popping in my mind is me sitting in the garden and children or mothers just coming and working or sitting with me. Just peace, a garden is a magical place to just be.
-- Edited by willing on Sunday 19th of February 2012 09:53:15 AM
__________________
Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. ~St. Francis of Assisi
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