Perspective

Hello everyone,

Today's word can be looked at in a variety of ways - different perspectives...get it? :-)

The picture above is of our first-ever tomato plant that we are growing in our elevated garden on our patio. From this perspective, the green tomatoes looks quite big, don't they? Actually, the largest one on the branch is about the size of a quarter here. Sadly, even though this picture was taken about a month ago, they aren't much bigger now. 

So...yesterday, I pruned the second branch - basically just cut it right off the plant so that any nourishment that was going to the second branch (which had no tomatoes on it at all, but was still sprouting pretty little tomato blooms) would now flow to the branch with the tomatoes. I'm hopeful that this will allow us to pluck at least one ripe tomato before the birds or other critters discover our treasure!

So from our perspective, we had to "let go" of one thing to try to nourish the other.  Has that ever happened in your life? Have you had to let go of something to protect something (or someONE) else? A job? A relationship? An attitude? Financial security? Have you been able to find clarity in your new perspective?

I told you in the last post that we were going to Shands to try to get answers on Guy's continuing jaw issues. In two days, we will return to Shands to get a surgery date and the details on what they will have to do to help improve his quality of life. All we know so far is that they will cut out his right lower jawbone and replace it with a titanium bar that will help support the new bone, which will be cut from the fibula in his leg. Depending on the day, our perspective changes on how we feel - hopeful one day because something is finally being done. Scared another day (pretty much every day, actually) because this is a huge deal. However, when we step back and consider our options, our perspective always ends up on "hopeful." It has to, doesn't it? We can wish it weren't so or be angry because it is so, but in the end, our perspective needs to be hopeful.

What's going on in your life that you wish weren't so - or find yourself being angry about because it is so? As Dr. Phil would say, "How's that workin' for ya??" It probably isn't. Often, when we find ourselves in one of those pits of wishing or anger, we need to change our perspective. 

As you may have heard me say in one of my programs - or maybe I've even mentioned it here - there are only 3 things that can possibly happen in a situation: 1) you can change the situation, 2) you can leave the situation, or 3) you can change your response to that situation. In so many instances, #3 is really our only viable option.

So, will you join me in trying to remember option #3 the next time your perspective gets out of kilter? I know it won't be easy - but it's sometimes all we've got!

Do drop me a note and let me know how it's going for you.

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

 

Decisions, Decisions

Hi everyone!

I hope you've had a fabulous summer and are eagerly anticipating a nice crisp, clear fall...that's what we're hoping for here in Florida.

Today's word, as you can see, is "decision." You can also see I made a "decision" to add Grover, our handicapped kitty, to the hall of fame known as my blog posts. He gets mentioned a lot, but he's not always photogenic, so finding great pictures of his handsome face is not always easy. I think this one shows his inner beauty, though...

And on to today's word...I was thinking about how many decisions we make on a daily basis - what time to get up, what to have for breakfast, exercise or not, what to wear, which route to take to work, which tasks to tackle first, whether or not to stop for groceries on the way home, which bills to pay this week, what to have for dinner, good china or everyday dishes, load the dishes into the dishwasher or wash by hand, what to watch on TV, what time to go to bed...as you can see, I could go on and on to the point of ridiculousness! But think about it...we do actually make that many decisions and dozens more - every. single. day.

And yet...when it comes to deciding how we want our lives to move forward, we tend to avoid that at all costs. Each 24-hour period that slips by is gone forever. As dramatic as that sounds, it's true.

The question is, what did you REALLY decide today? Did you decide to be angry at the person who cut you off in traffic? Did you decide to be irritated with your co-worker...or your boss? Did you decide to spend money you don't really have because it made you feel better - for about 91 seconds?? Did you decide to eat something you know you shouldn't eat because yummmmm, it tastes so good - and then feels so bad when you see the number on the scale?

Or did you, friends, decide that today is too important to choose a negative attitude? Because decisions are all about choices, aren't they? Are your decisions bringing you joy, happiness, and peace?

Let me know - I'd love to hear what you've "decided!"

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

Vacation!

Ahhhhh...vacation! A time for rest and relaxation, right? How many of you have ever felt like you needed a vacation from preparing for vacation?? That's how I feel right now as I prepare for an upcoming vacation followed quickly by a 4-day business trip. I know the vacation will be great once I'm there, but the "getting there" can be quite taxing :-). The squirrel in the above picture must be feeling about the same, LOL.

As I was thinking about my upcoming vacation from "work," I thought about how we might want to step back occasionally and see if we need a vacation from something else...

Is worry weighing you down? Is there a problem or situation you've been worrying about for awhile? As we know, worry doesn't really solve anything, although it's close cousin, "constructive reflection" can help us work through things sometimes. Maybe it's time to just stop - time to take a worry vacation -even for just a few minutes - where you just soak in the moment, enjoying the sunshine or the pretty purple flower outside your window or even just enjoying the contented look on your kitty's face as he sleeps.

Do you need a vacation from anger? YIKES! That's a scary thought, isn't it? Yet some of us carry anger with us as if it's our JOB - and we all know we perform much better when we take vacations from our jobs. So....stop the anger.

Maybe it's being judgmental of others that you need a break from. Someone isn't doing enough at work, doesn't dress the way they "should," talks too loud, or whatever...just stop. Again, it doesn't solve anything and just keeps you aggravated about the situation.

Have you been comparing yourself or your life - unfavorably - with someone else lately? Your finances, your home, your car, your hair color - whatever! Comparison steals contentment - so just stop.

Just as a "real vacation" is sometimes hard to schedule and enjoy, a vacation from emotions can be challenging, too. The thing is, we have to DECIDE to take the vacation, don't we?

So...what will you decide to take a vacation from?? Drop me a note and let me know!

Blessings,
Linda
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com

Attitude!

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995

I found the above quote quite amusing :-) In our daily lives, we often soak up the attitude of those around us, particularly when it's negative... OR we allow their behaviors to influence our attitude and almost always toward the negative.

Why is that, do you suppose? I don't know anyone who really WANTS to go around with a negative attitude, although I could name a few who seem on the verge of making that their life's mission. But why is it so much easier to let ourselves drift into a negative mindset ~ or let someone else's sorry behavior make US feel bad? I think when someone else makes us feel bad (and believe me, I have experience in someone making me feel bad!), it's sometimes because of our own feelings about ourselves...Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” And I think that's sometimes where the anger is coming from - and we CONSENT to let that person anger us ~ which then ruins our attitude for minutes, hours, days...

Life has been hectic in this neck of the woods lately. My attitude isn't always what I would hope it would be.

Last night I got a rude awakening regarding my "sniveling" - an email popped into my inbox late last night from Tim, husband of one of my best friends from high school. I was in her wedding, she called me just after the birth of her twins in 1979 (oh my!), and last night her husband sent me an email to let me know she had had a stroke on March 18 and is still in Ohio State University hospital on a ventilator tube. She's 54, about 5 weeks younger than me. And for all of you reading this in your 20s, 30s, and even 40s, 54 is YOUNG!

I got my attitude adjusted pretty quickly again - that happens when I stop long enough to ponder what people are going through - people I care about.

So the next time your attitude is showing, take a deep breath and ask yourself if you want to give up this moment to a bad attitude. You never get that moment back, you know. So don't let someone else take it away from you - and don't give it away by carrying around a poor attitude.

So...moment by moment this week, be aware of your ATTITUDE ~ and remember that you have a choice!
Blessings,
Linda
P. S. Please say a prayer for my friend Debbie and her family, as well as my sister and my husband while you're at it!
www.LindasWorkshops.com
Linda@LindasWorkshops.com