change CAN be good

Many of us fear change, or at least feel uncomfortable at the thought of it. We have a routine and we like it, dang it!

Life, however, is fluid. There are ups and downs and sideways turns and things change.

Sometimes change is good. We get to experience new things. We stretch ourselves, and as such, evolve. I'm not saying it's comfortable or easy, just that it isn't all that bad.

I've gone through so many changes in the past year and a half it's almost unfathomable. Some of the changes were scary and hard. Some required strength and hard work. And some seem to be good fortune.

If I remained stiff as a board I'd be broken by now. So, I'm committed to rolling with the changes and finding all of the greatness in store for me. I'll be as fluid as someone as controlling as I tend to be can.

I do know for a fact that some change can be fulfilling.

And, who wants to be a stiff, stagnate board? Even a change of hairstyle or a revamping of our look can add a bit of pep to our steps and keep us fluid.

Sometimes it's a change of thinking that we need. In that case meditation helps. So do all sorts of tools like affirmation books, revisiting a creative hobby or even taking on a new hobby. Talking it through with someone who has your best interest at heart helps, too.

We live in a world in which the negatives often overshadow the positives. If we remove some of the negatives we can move closer to some peace and happiness. That, of course, takes more than fluidity, but also courage.

So, whether we're cleaning out our clothing closets or our proverbial closets, taking on a new venture, or just rolling with it, change can be good.

It's all how we look at it.

peace and love,

sunee

you can't always get what you want

Sometimes I have trouble waiting to get what I want. It's like all of the patience I have goes out the window because I WANT.

Wanting, in and of itself, isn't really all that bad. Except, maybe, when I think I NEED IT NOW.

This could be misdirected stress or anxiety over other things rather than just greed. I'm not a greedy person at all. I just get caught up in anxiety over certain things and I feel the only way to fix everything is to get the object NOW.

Of course, I have many tools at my disposal to deal with stress, anxiety and disappointment. How easy I forget to use them.

Basically I've spent the past 3 days as a big ball of stress, tangled up worse than a ball of yarn. I think it's important to take each moment and see that (in most cases) we have everything we need for right now.

Unfortunately I began to feel remorse over my stressed out behavior, which isn't health either. So, I slowed down, chilled out and did some relaxing things. I watched a little TV, I talked to a friend and I played some Scrabble. I even read from one of my daily affirmation books. (Funny, I was several days behind...)

Now I am unraveling myself and am no longer a ball of stress. I acknowledged what was causing my stress and decided to practice patience until I can get what I want. Not easy, but certainly doable.

I certainly don't want to start teaching again as a big ball of stress. I'm looking forward to it far too much.

So before you become a ball of stress over the wants take stock of what you really need and already have. It's easier on everyone, especially us. Plus, we'll probably smile more.

peace and love,

sunee

We have the power to make our day any way we want it to be. Of course, at 5AM I forgot that and I started off in negativity land. Everything sucked.

The day progressed and I realized, early thank goodness, that I can live in negativity land or I can move on and have a good day.

It's difficult with all of our challenges, great and small, to keep a smile on our face and trudge forward. It's easier, however, if we remember all that is good in our lives. We may not become easy and breezy immediately, but we may stress down a little. Take a deep breath, chill out...

I have many things to be thankful for and having a bad attitude isn't one of them. It wrinkles my face and takes away from good moments I'll miss if I'm just moaning and complaining.

I guess it comes back to what I'm always saying- life is a series of balancing acts. We may not love the current situation, but it doesn't define our whole lives. At least I'm not going to let it define me.

To leave negativity land take the first smile and have a better day.

peace and love,
sunee

Capable

Well, for the first time in a year and a half, I'm working again. With all of changes I've gone through during this time I was worried that one more might just throw me over the edge.

It's funny how we let conditions define us. I know I did. I wasn't a teacher or a writer, I was a woman with fibromyalgia and Sjogren's Syndrome. I was pained and that was it. I let it define and determine everything about my life.

But, if we let these things define us we limit the possibilities available to us. I know I am more then someone with difficult conditions. I have skills and knowledge to share. Maybe more so now that I've been through such a difficult time.

It's amazing what we are capable of when we let ourselves. I'm not implying that it will be easy for me, but sitting home wallowing in my discomfort and pain just intensified it. Talk about depression express! I was on it and didn't think I could get off.

I know I've said it before but it's a balancing act. We need to take care of ourselves physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. I used to work work work, never paying attention to how I felt in any of those areas.

Now I listen to my body, take time for myself and say no. (once in a while. I'm still working on that.) I used to live in fast-paced stresstown. I can't do that anymore, but I am capable of being productive and slowing down enough to avoid stresstown. Just pass that exit and head straight for peaceful land.

We're all on a journey and we don't have to be perfect. Life is a series of some pretty darn challenging events. Yet, we can't let those define us. We can find balance and be all we are meant to be.

I'm learning, little by little. I hope you all learn what you're capable of and do it.

peace and love,

sunee

our tools

I happen to get so caught up in all of life's chaos that I forget all of the tools available to me. I have been letting anxiety build up and I've become a bundle of nerves instead of a source of joy to those around me.

It's easy, I know. We owe this, we need to go here, there and everywhere, everyone needs something and none of it coordinates...

On the other hand, many of us are blessed with people who love and depend on us. And, with a little prioritizing all of those "things" never seem to amount to as much as we've built them up to be.

I got so discombobulated that I'm sure you could see the nerves hanging out of me. Coincidently I hadn't read anything positive, meditated or even took time to just chill.

We have the tools, but sometimes we let the THINGS overwhelm us. I haven't even blogged I felt so disconnected. I let go of something I not only enjoy, but helps me clear my mind as well.

I plan to start using my tools again. And, if they don't work, I'll find new ones. After all, who wants to see me with my nerves hanging out.

peace and love,

sunee

too much

Sometimes everything feels like too much. Too much to do. Too much stress. Too many problems.

I feel overwhelmed and I wonder why I don't appreciate all I have and all the surrounds me rather than sitting in my mush pot of stress.

When things get crazy the easiest thing to do is to feed into it. I started to. I laid a guilt trip on myself for things I'm not responsible for.

The best thing to do is clear my head and realize everything that I have to be grateful for and then prioritize what I CAN do and let go of what I CANNOT.

This day was a mush pot day, but sitting here now I realize where and when I should have just let things go. And, because of my health, I should have slowed down and took care of myself. That's a tough deal for a control freak, but the way I feel now has taught me that I really need to let go.

The easiest way to do that is to remember what I'm grateful for. And that's a lot.

I hope I don't see you in the mush pot. It's hard to get out and you can't see the beauty of the day.

peace and love,

sunee

big problems

Life can hand us some pretty crazy stuff. Stuff that we either didn't see coming, or, maybe we just weren't paying close enough attention to see what was going on.

I am learning, rather slowly, I must admit, that it does no good to beat ourselves up over such happenings. Also, we can't run around like crazy people because of stressful situations.

I've been spending quite a bit of time in crazytown and, clearly, it has done no good for anyone involved. I have had flare-ups from my Fibromyalgia, I'm anxious, and to top it off, I'm no good to be around.

I honestly believe that we aren't given anything to deal with that we can't handle. I just forget sometimes. Not completely, just enough to get all worked up right away. Then I bring it down slowly, looking at the big picture and finding that it will all work out.

The first thing I think is that it's important to remember is to be grateful for what we do have- people, health, whatever.

Being grateful keeps things in perspective and allows us to deal with our big problems with a much lower stress level.

I have NOT enjoyed my visit to crazytown. I was spinning in circles, unclear of what was good in my life, and, as a result, becoming overwhelmed and stressed out over everyday chores and activities.

Life isn't always easy, but keeping the stress level as low as possible can help us deal with even the most challenging situations.

I plan to make a gratitude list today. I think it will put things in perspective. I hope you take the few minutes to make your own list of what you're grateful for. Then we won't bump into each other in crazytown.

peace and love,

sunee