“A person must live in harmony with his or her inner self while recognizing a vital connection to the entire world. A quiet and virtuous mind can live contently no matter what their circumstances, because they do not spend their precious time engaged in worthless faultfinding. Like all despairing men, I need to cease expecting anything from life while expecting more from myself. I aspire to find beauty and joy in the humblest of human activities. I must learn how to ride the clouds and mist, be unperturbed by the petty disputes of humankind, and imperious to other people’s unfavorable opinion of me.” ― Dead Toad Scrolls
Isn’t it awesome when we are open to new experiences and get the opportunity to feel both the negative and positive results? Isn’t it awesome when we can control negative feelings and respond to them in the best ways? Isn’t it awesome to feel satisfied with the way one’s life is going? Isn’t it great to find yourself not prejudging people, places and things and allowing your own decisions rather than lean on other’s gossip and applications? Aren’t those ah hah moments poignant when we place ourselves in ways to experience them? Isn’t it wonderful to be creative and to take the risk to try new things in new ways so that we learn to adjust, to change and even seek challenging artistic situations? Isn’t it incredible to have those moments where we totally trust ourselves and actually feel our intuition at work and we listen? Aw, to experience all these more often than not, be in balance, and feel whole, and be a fully functioning female!
Every morning I wake up with a list in my head. The Dr. says it is a bit OCD and ADHD but that is what I do. I make a list in my head of things to do, and, as I age, my lists are getting shorter, but nonetheless more important to my functioning. I have something to look forward to: I get to finish that danged list. I have a daily purpose. It feels so awesome to get it done and I reward myself with a block of time to create.
The List helps me make priorities and they automatically find their way on the list as to what is most demanding and important to get done. I know, from these daily lists, what is important to me and why.
I make a commitment, every morning, to do what keeps me healthy, so I can take care of others and myself. I try to get enough sleep and rest during the day when the need comes. I stop everything when I feel energy lowering. I do not neglect self and have become more in tune with my body. I usually try to eat properly (I am diabetic), I make homemade foods, and once a month I get Chinese food or a treat out.
Yes, we can go through life happy, happy, joy, joy and then be levelled when something unexpected happens that blows us down. If you tell me you have a wonderful great life absolutely all the time, I am going to question you; perhaps, not literally, but I will lose trust in you for you have to be in denial or are telling me an untruth. Life is disappointment, is full of unhappy incidents, is full of times you will have fear, sorrow, and rejection. Our lives can not be perfect. We cannot be perfect all the time. When we learn to accept imperfection, you gain a sense of grace and how to surrender and how to change with some sort of dignity. Learning that one moment in time does not equal ALL moments, is crucial. Attitude is everything!
Having a positive attitude does not mean that we live in denial. Just because life can be hard down here on Mother Earth, does not mean that there can not be peace and joy. Take time to do what you love. And do not allow a sense of guilt creep up on you when you do. You do not need to control everything, nor does your Evil Inner Witch (Ego/Lizard Brain). Find time, make time; live; laugh; love; find that sweet spot of personal peace for a block of time every day. I use creativity as reward as my day goes on. Discover new ways to be a fully functioning woman.
Take some time to know what you feel like your life is lacking. Discover ways to fulfill that need. Do changes bit by bit. I am one of those crash-course diet people that has never been successful at it. It is because I dumped everything that I should not eat and then, a week later, buying replacements that were the same danged thing. It is hard not to be all gung-ho. I want instant gratification. When it does not sustain, I dump that idea or project or whatever it is and go back to same old, same old. I am learning, still, at 74, to make changes in bits. It will be the same with giving ourselves permission to feel joy, to feel balanced, to feel fulfilled. Our main goal is to find balance in order to be fully functional women.
Above all, be kind to yourself.
©Carol Desjarlais 8.29.21
No comments:
Post a Comment