A large portion of our perceived problems reside in our heads. In other words, they are imagined. Not based in reality! What if you can learn to ‘get out of your head’? What kind of relief from the pressures of life would you experience? I believe if we can learn to quiet that nagging voice, that judgmental voice, we will lighten our load and live a more stress-free existence. But, first, we have to learn to get out of our heads.
I’m sitting here thinking about what to blog about next. This leads to thinking about my life. My family, my ups and downs. What it means to be a mom, a daughter, a wife. What it means to be resilient in the face of upheaval, challenges and hurdles. Sitting here fully sinking into what it means to be strong, and real, and human. Sitting here realizing that, despite what I tell myself, and despite what you tell yourself, you are stronger than you think. I believe this applies without exception.
Have you ever caught yourself out in what I call ‘auto-pilot listening’? It’s when you’ve acknowledged the person that’s talking to you with a ‘Mmm?’ or a ‘Yes, I’m listening’ only to realize that listening isn’t quite the same when you’re chopping the onions or wiping down the kitchen counter. Really, you weren’t listening at all. At least not as much as you want to believe you were.
We look forward to this time of year pretty much as soon as it’s over! It’s that time of the year where everyone is filled with joy and the spirit of giving. But, the Holiday Season can be stressful! Here’s the thing, like most of our stress it is self-inflicted. Why not let go of the fuss and stress and enjoy it for what it is? Enjoy the simplicity of just being with the one’s we love.
Let’s talk about why it is so important to establish what your core personal values are. Instead of going through life blind, let’s dig deep and discover what really matters to us. You may think this is basic and obvious, but I believe we are not fully aware of the values that are the foundations of our lives. We know we have them, we just don’t give them much thought.
We all have an image in our minds of the life that we want to live. Our ideal life. But, for us to move forward in life, towards this ideal, we have to understand the difference between ourselves and our ‘story’. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of your ‘story’, grab a cup of tea and let’s have a chat because before you can own your story you have to know what it is.
Have you experienced that extreme level of frustration that comes from boredom? There is nothing quite like it. It is almost painful. Like you have lost all ability of finding meaning in life. The boredom in life becomes all consuming. All you can think about.
What makes us strong? If we are honest with ourselves, we all know it’s not the good times. Our challenges are our greatest teachers. When we accept this, it is easier to recognize that going through hard times makes you stronger.
I cannot pinpoint a day where I discovered my strength but I recognize a time, a period in my life, that made me strong even if I didn’t realize it at the time. I recognize that finding strength through pain, as much as we may not choose it, is a powerful life lesson. Don’t ever underestimate the force of strength that develops in you through life’s painful experiences. Sometimes God gives you trials that strengthen you beyond anything you believed possible.
