Give Yourself A Break And A Pat On The Back!

Two factory workers are talking. The woman says, “I can make the boss give me the day off.”

The man replies, “And how would you do that?”

The woman says, “Just wait and see.”

She then hangs upside down from the ceiling. The boss comes in and says, “What are you doing?”

The woman replies, “I’m a light bulb.”

The boss then says, “You’ve been working so much that you’ve gone crazy. I think you need to take the day off.”

The man starts to follow her and the boss says, “Where are you going?”

The man says, “I’m going home, too. I can’t work in the dark.”

Have you ever worked really hard on something and when you were all finished, no one even noticed or gave you credit for the work? Maybe you made some personal decisions that you’re really proud of because they not only took you out of your comfort zone, but they were life changing? Did you fix something that was broken and it took you weeks or months to complete because it was so tough to repair?

If you answered affirmatively to any of those questions, do you remember how you felt before you started the task?

All major changes and accomplishments require determination, perseverance, faith in yourself and a desire for the change. Did you notice I didn’t include the support of other people in that list? The reason I didn’t include anyone except you is because it all begins with you and your effort and sometimes there won’t be anyone else to agree with you or support you.

Even if no one else does, you must believe in yourself.

That brings up a question. Do you like yourself? Do you like who you have become and what your life represents? If not, you still have time to change. As long as you are living, there is time to make things right. First you have to recognize what you’ve done, try to right the wrong if possible, ask for forgiveness, forgive yourself and then going forward, be a better version of yourself.

Maybe it’s not because of things you’ve done that causes you to dislike yourself. Do you have a whole bunch of negative and hurtful pains inside that have distorted your view of yourself, other people and the world around you? Well, dissect those experiences one at a time, deal with your feelings, let go and move on to a happier future.

That’s what I had to do in order to heal from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). I had to recognize every hurtful thing that was stuffed down inside of me. It wasn’t easy, however, it was well worth the effort. I no longer suffer the devastating effects of PTSD and I like myself. No, I actually love myself. When I look back on my life, I see the bad, good, painful, exciting, disappointing, happy, sad, and funny times. Added all together, they make up my life. I didn’t do everything right, but I’ve learned a whole lot and I’m still learning.

The same thing holds true for you. Your life isn’t exactly like mine, but it’s all yours. You have a wonderful life if you choose to have a wonderful life. It sounds simplistic, but in many ways, it really is just that simple.

When life starts to overwhelm you because of sickness, depression, fear, choices, loss or a myriad of other reasons, give yourself a break and then pat yourself on the back for all that you’ve already accomplished and learned. Then dig deep down and believe that you can move forward in happiness.

I know that a lot of this post may sound like total bunk to you and I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always follow my own advice, but I know what I’m suggesting is good, sound advice.

Lately I’ve been unusually tired no matter how much I sleep. Although I’ve been surrounded by sick people with colds and the flu, I’ve not caught anything…yet. A lot of my days and nights are spent alone. Here’s a few of the things I’ve been doing:

• Creating new grain free recipes. I finally aced the chocolate chip cookie today.
• Shopping and making Christmas presents.
• Researching business ideas.
• Applying for jobs.
• Going to doctor appointments and sitting with my niece while my sister did errands.
• Visiting friends and family.
• Went on a pre-Christmas celebration day trip while being driven in my daughter’s new car.
• Thinking, planning and analyzing.

Yeah, I know the last one probably made you roll your eyes, but in order to prevent myself from emotion stuffing, becoming fearful or angry, I have to take time for self-introspection. Do you take the time for quiet solitude and self-examination? Are you open and willing to change? Are you practicing tolerance instead of judging other people? Do you have realistic expectations for yourself? Are you working continually on improving yourself and life?

Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes are my answers because I want to pack as much happiness into my life as possible. I want a simple life and loving relationships. The best way to attain that is by focusing on what I can change and then doing it. So far I’m relatively pleased with the results.

Now, how about your life? Do you have the same philosophy?