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Gratefulness
Right now, I am grateful for my brother who is doing an outstanding job of being my father’s primary caregiver.
I’m very fortunate to live in an area that has a labyrinth in a park. I’ve been walking that lately, and it simply allows me to enjoy what is happening around me while meditating. Great stuff!
In short, letting go of anger & resentment changes ME.
I grew up having an alcoholic mother, so I was ripe with anger & resentment.
As I worked some steps to get through all of that, anger, resentment and a whole host of other feelings faded away. In their stead, compassion and understanding rise to the top.
As a result of that work, I came to have a good relationship with my mother in the years before she died.
My mother didn’t change; for all but ...
My mother didn’t change; for all but the last 3 years of her life she drank. I was the one who changed.
I held her hand as she passed from this life to the next.
Most recently, my older brother. I’d always believed that he was a moderate Conservative. He believes that as well. But this past tumultuous Summer, I found out otherwise. I underestimated how entrenched he was in believing he was right in his worldview.
The interesting thing I found out is about myself: while I still love him, of course, my view of him has changed, and not for the better. And I’m not comfortable with that.
I have a couple of tools that help me do this:
Remember when I point a finger at someone, 3 more are pointing back at me.
Sweep off my side of the street: in other words, make sure my motives are pure.
Ask myself these 2 questions: does it need to be said? Does it need to be said by me? That can be tricky, especially when the answer to the first question is YES, but the answer to the 2nd is NO. And lastly, a nightly review of my day, which I often don’t get to...
Ask myself these 2 questions: does it need to be said? Does it need to be said by me? That can be tricky, especially when the answer to the first question is YES, but the answer to the 2nd is NO. And lastly, a nightly review of my day, which I often don’t get to since I fall asleep in the living room chair! Lol
I’ve had the benefit of having good friends share their experience, strength and hope with me for the past decade. They don’t tell me what to do, they simply share how they’ve handled a situation.
This is a tough one. I’ve had challenging situation after challenging situation for over a year now. I think the fact that I have not picked up my addictive substance (been in recovery for over 10 years) is significant. The fact that it hasn’t called me is even more so.
I’ve never thought of this question before, so I am grateful for the prompt. And it reminds me that my husband loves me beyond belief, so it is his love that I carry with me.
Every morning before I answer the daily question, I look at all of your responses. All of you have been helping me understand what is being asked. Thank YOU! Like some, I look back on what I’ve been through and exclaim, “Holy moly! Look at all Ive been through!”
Like others, I call on Christ. I, too, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. And I constantly look out for new tools to add to my toolkit, so I will have to find out more about the Res...
Like others, I call on Christ. I, too, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. And I constantly look out for new tools to add to my toolkit, so I will have to find out more about the Resiliency Bank Account!
This was a recent issue with me. For the last year or so, there is one little girl at work with challenging behavior. She challenged all of the staff, but she challenged me in particular. So much so that my boss sent me for training. I welcomed the opportunity! During the training I realized one thing about myself: I was using tactics that worked better for the other staff, but were contrary to my values. This girl picked up on that. The training validated that my values are corre...
This was a recent issue with me. For the last year or so, there is one little girl at work with challenging behavior. She challenged all of the staff, but she challenged me in particular. So much so that my boss sent me for training. I welcomed the opportunity! During the training I realized one thing about myself: I was using tactics that worked better for the other staff, but were contrary to my values. This girl picked up on that. The training validated that my values are correct, and it also helped me to implement them. As a result, the child’s behavior has improved and my sanity has been restored.
One thing came to mind immediately: pray for the good health and happiness of the candidate I did not vote for. And mean it. That’s probably one of the hardest acts of kindness I could do today.
I need to start with myself. If I don’t have it for myself, I cannot give it to others.
And as Kevin and Howie said, we are in for a rough patch, and I must avoid getting distracted by all the vitriol and bullying.
This was a tough question for me to understand at first. But as I read through everyone’s responses, it became clear (to me at least) that it boils down to: how can I be true to my word? And on a deeper level: how do my actions reflect my values?
Often, I am “accused” (lol) of not speaking a lot or of having long pauses between words. I never really considered that this was my way of having integrity in my words until today. And I am grateful for this new awakening.
As a family, we are going through some difficulties right now. My nearly 90 year old father is in the hospital for the first time in his life. He is being well taken care of by staff and by my brother. I am truly helpless in doing anything for them right now. And that’s ok.
Life would be so much more difficult if I were to play the victim right now; if I were to be angry at the hospital, governor, pandemic for not allowing me to see Dad in the hospital. I would be losing sleep an...
Life would be so much more difficult if I were to play the victim right now; if I were to be angry at the hospital, governor, pandemic for not allowing me to see Dad in the hospital. I would be losing sleep and be anxious throughout the day.
But that’s not how this drama is playing out.
Instead, I get to keep my wits about me. I get to be available emotionally to my brother who has called me and sobbed on the phone.
I get to see my Dads bravery as he has a phobia of doctors and hospitals.
I get to tell my Dad how proud I am of him. I get to say the same thing to my brother.
When I take myself out of unnecessary victimhood, I get to see the gifts that abound.
I am an early riser. Today peace is with me, right here. I am grateful for the second question: how can I welcome it? Just by asking that question. I recognized it was here and I am gladly receiving it.
Eliminate unnecessary distractions. Oh so easy to say, but oh so hard to do!
As I sit here sipping on coffee, I hear the gentle song of my own parakeets waking. I know they are responding to the birds they hear outside. What a gift to experience this everyday.
Thank you!
Love this! That simple shift in thinking allows me to respond rather than react.
These are my thoughts exactly!
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