With yesterday's post, I rolled my eyes at self. Today, I'm shaking my head. Some tools are hard to use but most tools are helpful, even when it's difficult to learn how to use them.
Tool #7: FIND JOY.
I'm sad, depressed, overwhelmed, worried, and I'm supposed to find JOY???? As for me, I have to use baby steps to accomplish anything. Ya know how I learned to make a spreadsheet? By using a kids program! After that I was able to catch the concept and translate it to being able to use Excel. Baby steps is how I learn to find joy when I'm on the down side of life. I have a bullet journal and in that bullet journal are gratitude pages. Everyday--every flippin' evening--I make myself write three things I'm thankful for. And I'm not allowed to repeat. Here are three things I wrote in Feb: Puzzle (I completed it); chopping wood (I like working with my chainsaw); 5 min tasks. Yup. That was my big day. The next day was just as exciting: Only three days of no electricity; painted a mushroom; string cheese. There it is. That's it. "It's the simple things in life you treasure." (I thought I was going to skip a movie quote. Guess not. That one is from Galaxy Quest.)
A rather long time ago, I was worried about some youth I was working with, and I felt like it was all my fault. (As I mentioned in post 1 of this series "Wednesday's child is full of woe.") But Chris told me, "If you're going to take responsibility for their problems then you also have to take credit for the good things they do." Well, that put it into perspective. Along similar lines, if I let me brain go towards all that has been wrong, is wrong, will be wrong in my life then can't I also nudge my brain towards the joy in my past, present and future as well? Especially the present. I admit it's not always easy, but I can manage if I just find One. Simple. Thing. to be joyful for. Even if it's stupid movie quotes. "Never give up. Never surrender." (That's also Galaxy Quest; but we tend to use this one more: By Grabthar's hammer, what a savings.)
Recently, I was feeling very down. I pretty much figured that I have blown everything that's honestly important to me (and I am absolutely not going to confess right here what all that is). Writing these posts, and this one in particular, has helped me recall the good stuff that I have done and am trying to do; the good stuff that has been in my life and has come into my life. Sometimes I just have to re-learn how to use the tools and get used to them again. I hope you find this tool helpful:
Tool #7 FIND JOY
Here's an opportunity to practice. Write 1-3 things in the comments that you're grateful for or something that brings you joy.
Tool #7: FIND JOY.
I'm sad, depressed, overwhelmed, worried, and I'm supposed to find JOY???? As for me, I have to use baby steps to accomplish anything. Ya know how I learned to make a spreadsheet? By using a kids program! After that I was able to catch the concept and translate it to being able to use Excel. Baby steps is how I learn to find joy when I'm on the down side of life. I have a bullet journal and in that bullet journal are gratitude pages. Everyday--every flippin' evening--I make myself write three things I'm thankful for. And I'm not allowed to repeat. Here are three things I wrote in Feb: Puzzle (I completed it); chopping wood (I like working with my chainsaw); 5 min tasks. Yup. That was my big day. The next day was just as exciting: Only three days of no electricity; painted a mushroom; string cheese. There it is. That's it. "It's the simple things in life you treasure." (I thought I was going to skip a movie quote. Guess not. That one is from Galaxy Quest.)
A rather long time ago, I was worried about some youth I was working with, and I felt like it was all my fault. (As I mentioned in post 1 of this series "Wednesday's child is full of woe.") But Chris told me, "If you're going to take responsibility for their problems then you also have to take credit for the good things they do." Well, that put it into perspective. Along similar lines, if I let me brain go towards all that has been wrong, is wrong, will be wrong in my life then can't I also nudge my brain towards the joy in my past, present and future as well? Especially the present. I admit it's not always easy, but I can manage if I just find One. Simple. Thing. to be joyful for. Even if it's stupid movie quotes. "Never give up. Never surrender." (That's also Galaxy Quest; but we tend to use this one more: By Grabthar's hammer, what a savings.)
Recently, I was feeling very down. I pretty much figured that I have blown everything that's honestly important to me (and I am absolutely not going to confess right here what all that is). Writing these posts, and this one in particular, has helped me recall the good stuff that I have done and am trying to do; the good stuff that has been in my life and has come into my life. Sometimes I just have to re-learn how to use the tools and get used to them again. I hope you find this tool helpful:
Tool #7 FIND JOY
Here's an opportunity to practice. Write 1-3 things in the comments that you're grateful for or something that brings you joy.
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