patience

A friend of mine taught me this saying: patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, seldom in a woman but never in a man. I don't like being sexist, whether there is truth in this or not.

I have strong feelings about patience. Everyone possesses some amount of it. We have different amounts for different activities. As a teacher, I had a lot of patience for my students who were struggling with various learning disabilities. I did not have much for my body when my MS symptoms arrived. It is one of the concepts I have learned a lot about over the 20 years since my diagnosis.

I believe patience is a skill that can be practiced. Like yoga or meditation the more you practice the better you get. It is important to remember though that patience is not something you acquire and you are done. It needs to be practiced every day. Some days it comes easier than others. Some days require it more than others. When facing a difficulty, we need more patience, but it is often harder to summon. That is when you get the most practice.

Here are some lyrics I sing to myself when I'm trying to be patient: 1– by the Beatles, "Nowhere Man don't worry, take your time, don't hurry"… 2– by Simon and Garfunkel, "slow down, you move too fast, you've got to make the morning (moment) last." I am still practicing, but I have got techniques that help.

Wishing you patience when you need it!

just the way you are

May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you remember the infinite possibilities born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content with yourself just the way you are.

This is a slightly altered version of a blessing that I've seen a lot through e-mail but don't know where it originated. I made a copy of this to sit where I see it every day. It makes me feel better, though I don't always feel content.

As strong as my self-esteem is, I have been having trouble being content “just the way I am.” My mind and spirit are happy, but my body struggles. I have been trying to remember this blessing when I'm having a difficult moment. A slight physical difficulty does not have to unravel my happiness. I just have to remember that.

So, I want to encourage you to look beyond the things that feel as if they are keeping you from being content. Remember the things that you are grateful for and remember they should outweigh the negatives. We are each amazing beings and should treat ourselves accordingly.

That last blessing might be the key to achieving peace. If each of us are content, we would likely get along with our neighbors!

the future

I never think of the future - it comes soon enough ...Albert Einstein

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is. --C. S. Lewis

A friend of mine recently remarked on how I am able to concentrate on living in the moment. Of course, I do look ahead, but I try not to worry about things that have not happened yet. I am mostly glad that when I stop in the moment and have things to be grateful for, I can try to cheer myself up. Inevitably, a new happy moment comes along. Often it is a matter of patience, waiting for the next good thing. Just as often, it is a matter of CREATING our next good thing.

Try some play dough!

our garden

Your life is your garden, your thoughts are the seeds.  If your life isn't awesome, you've been watering the weeds.--Terry Prince

This quote reminds me that we are responsible for our own happiness. We can't always control our circumstances, but it is always up to us to control what we think about those circumstances. I can't say positive thinking is always easy, but that is what we need to do to see our garden thrive while tolerating or removing the weeds.  May your garden grow!

happy

If you like documentaries, check out “happy.”  It really made me feel good, and you can never get too much of that.

The most important thing I took away from it is that the happiest people reach for intrinsic versus extrinsic goals.

Extrinsic goals – money, image, status

Intrinsic goals – personal growth, relationships, desire to help/be a part of a community

The easiest thing we can do to increase our happiness is to increase physical activity and variety in our lives. Simple ideas. Give them a try! Wishing you lots of happiness!

pressure and friction

I came across this proverb: no pressure, no diamonds

Here's another: A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.--Chinese Proverb

Our struggles help us to polish ourselves and become the best we can be. I still wish the pressure and friction could be a little easier.  Positive thinking is not always easy.

I am grateful for what I have learned. I am grateful for so many great things in my life. I will focus on those and deal with the pressure as best I can. Wishing the same for you.

cloudiness

how do you feel about cloudy days?

if i'm already having a bad day, i find cloudiness comforting; like the universe is commiserating.  in fact, some sunny days feel like they are mocking me.

sometimes cloudiness is relaxing; a good time to curl up & cuddle or read.

too many consecutive cloudy days i find oppressive.  i have to summon all my strength to feel cheerful.  looking at bright colors helps, like my art on this page.  reaching out to friends is helpful, too.  now, this is silly, but i'll share anyway...sometimes i just smile at myself in the mirror.

how about you?  what do you do to get out of the doldrums?