Fall Down Seven Times Get Up Eight

Today's word is grounded.

Grounded...a solid word.  Well it's solid if you feel grounded.

What keeps you grounded?  I woke up to news stories on-line about unemployment, the stock market slipping and rain in the forecast.  None of which helps me feel grounded. :)

Feeling grounded is personal.  To each of us.  When the world is swirling around you ...what keeps you grounded?  If you cannot answer that...maybe that's why you swirl and turn with every shift life gives you.

Trust me even if you have things that ground you life can turn you on your head!  But without those touchstones those turns can seem to last forever...

For me...I mediated every morning. It's my time to pull it together before the world tries to pull me in several directions at once.  And you?

Today's word is snarky. You are what you speak.

Today's word is snarky.  Snarky is a cool sounding word... it means sarcastic or snappish.

There is a time and a place for being snarky but then there isn't.  I said something snarky last night and it still bothers me today.  What bothers me is that I said it without a pause.  Not a thought.

I am great with one liners.  I usually have great timing with comebacks.  And I am good at saying when I don't.

I was waiting on a man sometime last year when I was managing a bar.  He said something rude to me in front of a bar full of people.  They all looked at me for a response..and I had none.  I looked at the guy and said, "I got nothing in response to that. But come back to tomorrow and I will have something."  I then walked away and everyone laughed.

Last night I said something that was snarky.  I realize that I am tired or I would not have said it.  So today I did not wake up until my mom called me at 11:50AM.  I don't know about you but I have warning signs when I am too tired or stressed.

My one little shingle scar starts to hurt and I say things that I wish I wouldn't have.  Don't get me wrong...I love the comebacks...I love holding my own.  I do not love saying things that still bother me the next day.

If you are what you speak...last night...not so happy who I was.

 

Today's word is drain.

Drain means to draw off or flow off gradually or completely. To exhaust.

What a word to embrace unless you are too tired to!

I told one of my sisters recently that I felt like I had an energy drain. I believe I do.  Energy sucker would be a better description!

What to do? What to do when you identify that you have one?  Well you plug the hole.  But first you need to find out where the hole is...what is draining you without giving enough back so you can remain balanced?

Your job? Your relationship? Family member? Friend?  Your lack of self care?  Maybe you are like a dike that is full of holes and it's just not one. 

You have to figure out what's draining you before you can fix it. I believe if you are quiet enough with yourself you will know.  You can feel it..you can sense it.  Now the question is are you going to do anything about it?

Today's word is ahhhhhhh! What do you mean it's not a word?!

There I feel better...and to me ahhhhhhh is a fine word. :)

Kind of like the age old question...if a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it...does it still make noise?

If you are very frustrated and say ahhhhhhh...does it matter?

Well of course it does :) in both cases.

I make noises.  I always have.  I sing, I hum and I believe I talk to myself.  And when I am frustrated a very long and loud ahhhhhhh works wonders.

I had a long, frustrating weekend.  Today I am shaking it all off.  I am working at letting it go.  I am, I repeat, I am only responsible for my own actions.  I cannot nor really should not be concerned when someone else is not responsible.  But here is the thing...when their irresponsibility affects me...I do think I can or should do something.

Truth is I cannot.  You cannot either.  I actually have enough to tend to myself.  So avery loud ahhhhhhh and taking a step to the side to focus on me is where I am at today.

There...I feel better already :)

Today's word one last time is dwell.

Yes one more day dwelling!  LOL

To dwell is not only to reside..it is also to focus on.

Great question to poise to ourselves...what are we dwelling on?

Lack or abundance?  Joy or misery?  Glass half empty...half full or why the heck do we focus on that goofy glass to begin with?!!!

If we dwell in the present and keep our eyes open we may be surprised minute by minute what we truly see.

Dwelling on seeing only the best may just be the ticket to living a life that feels delightful.  It sure beats dwelling on waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have done that..not as fulfilling as it may seem :)

 

Today's word is dwell. Part 2

Dwell means to reside.  Yesterday we chatted about where you live as in dwell in your house or home.

 Today...where your spirit dwells.

Ah...that would be in your body.  And how's that going for you these days? How does your body feel?  Right this moment if you get really quiet...how does it feel? 

Mine?  Well it is very tired.  I did not sleep well last night and needed to be up early.

I think the house where my spirit dwells needs some work on it.  I think it needs to lose about 10-15 pounds. And it needs to exercise...tone up.

I need to take better care of that dwelling...it cannot continue to be on my list of things I will get to.  I just need to start doing it.  And you?

Today's word is dwell. Part 1

To dwell means to reside. It also means to focus on.

Let's look at where you reside today.  Your physical space.  How is it looking?  Are you happy where you reside? Is where you dwell comfortable?

Do you have a special spot in your place that makes you happy?

I have a chair I love.  I call it my magic chair. :)  You are NOT surprised about that are you?!  LOL

When I was going through my post traumatic stress period...I slept in my chair.  I sat there and felt safe.  Friends would call.  One would always say..."Did you sleep last night?"  I would say "Yes a bit."  She would say, "Where did you sleep?"  "My magic chair."  :) 

I still have my chair.  I always will.  It has a place wherever I will dwell in the future.  You can never have too much magic around :)

And you.  Look around where you dwell.  What brings magic to your space?  If there is nothing yet...what could?

 

Today's word is reflection.

I am talking about your personal reflection.  Look at yourself in a mirror.  What do you see?  No... not your hair color... :)

What do you see when you look at yourself?  Do you see joy?  Anger?  Peace?  Whimsy?

Are you someone you would feel comfortable talking with or do you look like someone to stay away from?

It's not always "what you see if what you get" but a lot of people judge by what they see.  You judge too.  You can fake it for awhile but ones true nature will usually show up in their face when they think no one is paying attention.

So tell me what do you see?

 

The Great Worry Experiment is Over. The results are in...

Yes the Great Worry Experiment is over!  For the past 10 months I have been involved in the Great Worry Experiment....and now the results are in.

I have worried about food, housing, employment, my computer crashing and dying and losing all my writings.  I have worried about what I did or did not see when I was involved with the love of my life who abandoned me.

I have worried about reports I have not finished.  Not having a job and then having too much of a job.  I have worried about the Bobby-mobile, my car. I have worried about my family.

I have literally gone to sleep worrying, woke up in the night worrying and then gotten up in the morning...yes still worrying.

And after all that worrying...here are the results the worrying has produced....NOTHING.  Absolutely NOTHING.

All that worrying did NOT move me one inch closer to a solution to anything. 

Here is what I know after 10 months of focused worrying...worrying is wasted emotion that can literally over take you.

There are days that it felt like that.  Especially in December and January.  Besides remembering to breathe...worrying was what I did. It was a full-time job.  But again it did not help change anything.

What changes things is action.  Not thinking about what you are going to do.  But doing it.  One step at a time.

Worrying makes you think you are doing something about what you need to deal with but truth be told you are not.  By delaying any action you are prolonging the thing or situation that you are worrying about.  It's a viscous circle that only you and I can step out of.

So what am I going to do about my results?  I am taking action on everything that has had me worried.  Everything.  I am going to continue to focus on actions.

Will I still worry? Old habits are hard to break... :)  But if worry pops up I promise to meet it with at least 3 action steps to deal with it. That should make it run for cover pretty fast!

It will take focus and follow-through. But I am pretty sure using focus and follow through instead of worry my next ten months will look and feel very different. 

You know I will share those results with you too :)

 

 

 

 

Today's word is clear.

It's a clear day...it inspires me to be clear in other ares too.

Be clear about what I want.  Be clear about what I say. Be clear about what I do.

Some days that is easier than others.  Fog can come in ... it can come in the weather or your head.

I have days like that.  The foggy kind.  But clear is better.  Clear lets you see what is.  Clear also let's you see what isn't.  That's not a bad thing.

Here's to clear...in your weather and your life :) .