The holiday season can be a stressful time of year for a lot of reasons. For Thanksgiving, I've decided to give myself a Worry Free Day. The story in my head for Thanksgiving 2024 is "Choose to be greatful, decide to not worry and remember everything is going to be okay." Happy Ok Day!!!
One of the most powerful stories in my head narrates how I see myself. If I want to change the stories that lower my self esteem, I want to focus on the parts of myself I like. And when I see parts of myself I don't find favorable, I can shift my focus from "that's an ugly part" to "That's a part I am willing to change"!
In working to re-write many of the stories in my head, I'm learning there are times re-writing them keeps my focus on the story itself. It may serve me better to shift my focus to a different story! In changing my focus away from an old story I've been re-telling to a different story all together, I've changed the narrative completely! Ignoring something for a while can be the best thing I can do for myself.
When I have the opportunity to doing something new; the stories in my head are quick to outline all the ways I can get hurt, embarrassed or otherwise fail. I'm learning the stories in my head are most often wrong, and I am working to change the narrative. Today I am giving myself permission to try something new even if I get a little embarrassed while I am learning new skills. Scary!
Saying "no" can be very difficult. It is also necessary, loving and... I'm recently learning... an act of Self Care. I'm practicing the Art of Saying No as a way to love others as well as myself.
Sometimes LIFE shoots holes in our plans, our goals and our dreams. It takes a lot of energy to change directions!!! I'm learning to keep an 'energy reserve' for difficult times versus living in my reserves and feeling empty.
Many days after Hurricane Helene, I wander around Asheville NC and see the vast resources that have been donated to my area. There are no words to express the gratitude felt by all of us receiving your blessings!!! I know many of us have gone from Surviver's Guilt, through feeling guilty taking donations, to experiencing guilty pleasures in moments of 'normalcy'. I find the stories in my head have shifted from those of crisis to those of gratitude. And I feel myself ex...
On approximately day 10 of the affects of Hurricane Helene in Asheville; I along with everyone and everything else am covered in dirt, germs and grit. In this episode recorded with background noises and a shotty connection, I describe the grit of my surroundings and realize the GRIT of the HUMAN SPIRIT is what is most prevalent and powerful!
This week there are no stories in my head. I can't complete a single thought right now. I am on day 7 of the aftermath on Hurricane Helene in Asheville, NC. All major systems in my home town are broken, and the systems within myself are severly damaged. I feel giddy, grateful and guilty all at the same time.
I live in Western NC and 5 days ago experienced Hurricane Helene. Im practicing Gratitude and this week I have found it to be a skill to be practiced, as well as a form of self care! This episode is dedicated to my dad, Bob "Snoop BobbyBob" Pearson.
The story in my head has fueled fear, depression, and resentment. Now I'm investigating what happens when I share the story in my head with someone I've hurt as an intro to making amends and a beginning to healing.
Intimacy is tricky business. Especially when it becomes clear people define intimacy in a lot of different ways. I wonder if we have an Intimacy Language? My mission to learn more about intimacy led me to discover an experiment about contentment. Strange I know but sometimes the stories in my head begin in one place and end in a very different space all together!
Many times I have been accused of "over-reacting" when I thought I was just "reacting" to the situation in front of me. In actuality, I react to the situation I THINK is in front of me, as seen through the eyes of all of my past experiences AND limited by lack of experience. I'm learning to slow down, gather information, sort through my feelings and RESPOND for a change.
Most of the stories that I carry with me into adulthood began in my childhood. I'm looking honestly at the roots of my stories and I'm realizing the original story-teller may not be telling "truth". I'm working to re-write My Story... to write My Truth. This is part of my process...
I've been told I have 'trust issues' and 'to just have faith'. That's tricky when I had lost all faith in myself, in people and in a Higher Power. Now, I'm working to change the way I see my past so I can practice trusting ME and having faith again.
I tell stories even in my sleep, and at times my dreams lead me to new questions and new discoveries. Or at least a new experiment! This time I'm working to re-write my "to-do" list.
When I think about being "triggered" by someone or something, I get irritated. Why? Maybe cause it seems like there is no 'safety mechanism' in place and it feels out of control. I'm working to find some space between feeling triggered and reacting to whatever has just transpired. This is my story of finding my safety.
This is the story of when I said to myself "I CAN" when I could not. What we can't do is as valuable as what we can do... as long as we keep both in mind and not focus solely on one or the other.
Ever acted outside of your norm in a relationship? Ever acted like a lunatic even when you didn't want to? I have and I compare it to flying on a airplane... and how I react when the flight starts to go terribly wrong.
Working to re-write the narrative in my head, I am learning to leave the feeling behind and take the lesson forward. The stories I tell myself fuel my emotions and affect my behaviors. I am not yet able to "forgive and forget", but I CAN work to remember my past and leave the feelings 'back then'.