Photo by Stuck in Customs

“Self-acceptance is my refusal to be in an adversarial relationship to myself.”– Nathaniel Branden

Today the focus is to remember that it is ok to be sad.  We are humans and we have emotions and not all of them are happy ones.  Did we forget this somewhere along the way?  I know I did.  I used to think I had to be happy all of the time.  I used to think that life should always be wonderful, it’s not.  Sometimes things just suck.  Instead of ignoring that now I embrace it.  If I am sad, so what,  it makes me human and it will pass just like everything else.  I’m not saying that doing things to make yourself happy aren’t good I am just accepting the fact that I can’t do it all the time.  Sometimes I am sad, grumpy, weepy, smelly and round.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3: 5-6 

Photo by Michelle Brea

” … we can no longer afford to throw away even one ‘unimportant’ day by not noticing the wonder of it all. We have to be willing to discover and then appreciate the authentic moments of happiness available to all of us every day.”

– Sarah Ban Breathnach

I did a really good job of just listening yesterday!!  So proud of me, I was tested and I triumphed . I sat quietly and minded my own business and the day turned out to be wonderful.

Today my focus is to live in the moment.  I have already meditated this morning so I am starting out right already.  I always try to stay in the present but it is hard.  Really hard, so I think that giving it a day of really making that my goal for the day will be a good idea.  No past, no future just this moment.  It is one of the most freeing feelings in the world if you can find yourself locked in the present for a little a bit. 

” For nothing is impossible with God.” – Luke  1:37

Photo by nick_russill

“It is our basic right to be a happy person, happy family, and eventually a happy world. That should be our goal.”

– Dalai Lama

Today the focus is to be quiet, to close my mouth and just listen.  In other words to just shut up.  I have learned mostly over the last several months that I am always  happier if when faced with a difficult situation if I just be quiet.  I always regret what I say when I am in the midst of anger.  It stays with me for days and I hate that. This applies even when I know I am right.  I don’t think it is my job to always prove my point because quite frankly people just don’t care.  Getting myself all worked up in a heated situation is no good for me.  It makes me stressed, angry and unhappy.  I am stopping that.  And since this is Monday and Mondays are real source of tension at my work place I figured this will be a good day to start this vow with myself.

 I always have found that even when I am having wonderful conversations with my favorite people that they are so much more fufilling to me if I really listen.  I was suprised when I started paying attention to this how often I butted in, overtook or just didn’t really listen because I was thinking about what I wanted to say next when I was talking to other people.  I still catch myself doing it and I hate it when I do it.  You become really concious of it once you are aware of it.

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” -  Hebrews 13:2

I love that verse!!

Photo by Jeff Kubina

“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.” — Alan Keightley

Today I am home with my baby girl.  She went back to school and caught a cold within a week.  To be expected I guess.  My focus for today is create a place of refuge.  I am really never by myself.  Then during those brief moments that I do happen to find myself alone I usually can’t relax because it is such a strange feeling to be all alone.  I have found that the one place I can find some alone time when the house is full of people is the bathroom.  Fill up the tub, add some bubbles, put the Ipod on and away I go.  This works pretty well but I still find myself yearning for a little something more.  A room that is only mine, filled with books, a comfy chair, nice lighting and beautiful desk.  This isn’t possible to do right now, due to every room in my house being used by someone.  This place of refuge is on my list though and someday I will make this room happen (someday when we buy a bigger house).  Until then I will be happy with the bathtub retreat.  I think it is so important for women to find that alone time and to enjoy it.  It’s necessary for our well being.

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118: 24

Photo by MarcoIE

“If you want things to be different, perhaps the answer is to become different yourself.”  – Norman Vincent Peale

Today’s focus is this, “Identify the Problem“.  I stole this from The Happiness Project.  It is one of my favorite resolutions from Gretchen.  I have to remind myself to identify the problem because sometimes I am just bothered and I have no idea why.  Like I can’t pick one thing that has me nervous or anxious or angry or sad.  It helps to just stop and say ok…what is it.  What has gotten me in this state and what can I do about it.  Until I started to really think about this I did not realize how often I would just wander around upset about something and not ever try to figure out what was really at the center of it. 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” -  Romans 12 : 12