Good morning, everyone ~
Lovely cooler temps this morning, thanks to the most recent storm. I hope everyone is doing “good enough” despite all the challenges that can come with this sort of thing. Damp, cooler temps can aggravate arthritis conditions. Hot-n-humid makes it more difficult to breathe. Hot-n-dry can be too intense too. That sweet spot of perfect balance seems few-n-far between, but that only makes us appreciate it all the more.
A quick word of gratitude to all who attended yesterday afternoon’s Small-Group Session. What a great time we had! Thankfully, the storm started after arrival and ended as we did. I pray all had a safe journey home.
With all the changes that have been forced upon us over the last 18 months, most of us are probably feeling a little “lost” and definitely grieving. We will get through the process, and maybe a little easier if we can train ourselves to cherish the memories while detaching others’ words/deeds from our brain-files. This too is a continual process, not a “one-n-done” deal. Which would you rather spend the rest of your life doing: (a) reliving emotional/mental/spiritual pain; or, (b) cherishing memories without recreating the Past?
As the Delta variant of COVID-19 begins to spread throughout the world, we must be ever more diligent with our extreme self-care of our whole self: mind/spirit/brain/body. We can do so more effectively/efficiently by practicing (b) … cherish the memories/don’t recreate the Past.
There is a wee patch of blue sky peeping from behind a fluffy cloud in the western region of my view. Even when the skies are black with storm clouds, that blue sky remains.
Similarly, our memories are there, even when a current storm reminds us of all the storms-of-life that we have thus far endured. We can weep and add our tears to the downpours Past/Present. We can also smile with faith that blue-sky betterment is possible, even probable. All the more likely when we exercise that faith and train ourselves to not allow the Present to be an echo of the Past.
LIFE IS A FORWARD MOTION
LAST WEEK’S CHALLENGES:(A) Who said: “As a surgeon I have often heard my patients describe how they experience pain more acutely at night — it’s not that their pain is worse at night, it’s just that there’s no distraction. The mind gets quiet and the pain that was there all day seems louder. … [It’s] pointless … wishing for a different past … the futility of worrying about all of the frightening futures over which I had no control.”
ANSWER: Dr. James Doty, head of neuroscience, Stanford University. If you have the chance to read his book, “Into the Magic Shop”, please do. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
(B) As you practice your personalized Pain Management Program, what do you do when your mind can no longer be distracted, when the pain seems louder?
ANSWER: deliberately open happy brain-files; practice extreme self-care protocols; sing; watch a favorite movie.
This Week’s Challenges:(A) Who said: “The ability to tell your own story, in words or images, is already a victory, already a revolt.”?
(B) As you review your Life Story, what have you learned about yourself and your most challenging experiences?
As this new day moves forward, it’s a given that we each will face challenges as well as blessings. It’s a choice, however, in what we pay attention to, what we give our energy to, and how we live our moment-by-moment Life Path. Circumstances beyond our control do not necessarily have to control our thoughts/feelings. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; only converted.
Let’s move into each new day with determination to reclaims the energy that got trapped inside old brain-files. Let’s make new brain-files — ones that are worth popping open on purpose!
Gentle hugs/much love,
Marian
https://mostphrases.blogspot.com/2017/07/a-new-day-quotes-2017.html