Getting Back Up

I've been fortunate to never before have fallen when running, until this past weekend.  My injuries are minimal - bruised hands, skinned knee and bruised hip.  My iPhone looks far worse than I do.

Quite close to home, I could have easily turned around to nurse my wounds, but I got up and finished my run.

Had I turned around, I'd probably have been more sore the next day.  And I might have been nervous about getting back out.  Sometimes, when we get back up and keep moving forward when we stumble, it's a far better option than seeking sanctuary and solace.

We need to know when to run and when to hide.

I Still Have Unlimited Potential

I Still Have Unlimited Potential

I Will Not be defined by my losses

• I will learn from them
• I will forever be mindful of what is
• I will appreciate now
• I will move forward one day at a time
• I will cherish the memories
• I will thank those who remember
• I will celebrate small victories
• I will be me

 I Will Learn

• To appreciate what is
• To anticipate what might be
• To listen to myself as well as I listen to others
• To accept that one day at a time is enough
• To share the lessons from the memories
• To appreciate all who show compassion
• To create even more victories for others
• To be me

 I Will Forever

• Learn
• Be Present
• Be Grateful
• Grow each day
• Acknowledge all who have helped me be who I am
• Celebrate others
• Create opportunities for other
• Be me

I Will Appreciate

• Experiences
• Empathy
• Moments to be seized
• Each day
• Everyone who has touched my life
• Small gestures of compassion
• Those who excel
• Me

I Will Move Forward One Day at a Time

• With things to learn
• Centered on reality
• Grateful
• Incorporating what I've learned
• Embracing each morning
• Celebrating others
• Creating opportunities
• Being Me

 I Will Cherish the Memories

• Learning
• Mindful
• Appreciative
• Of each day
• That have enabled me to become who I am
• Of all who have been a part of my life
• Of victories
• Of who I have been at each stage

I Will be Thankful for

• Lessons
• Reality
• The Present
• Each Day
• Memories
• Compassion
• Successes
• Me

 I Will Celebrate

• Perpetual inquisitiveness
• That I get to walk in my own high heels
• My abundant blessings
• Today
• Yesterdays
• Everyone who is part of my life
• Successes
• My life

 I Will Realize My Unlimited Potential!

Surrounded by Family

Last night I attended solo, an annual party, that Edgar and I had always thoroughly enjoyed, ever since we began dating.  I initially intended to decline, but decided to honor our happy times by going.   I'd planned to sit with dear cousins from Edgar's Dad's side of the family, with whom he and I often enjoyed this event.  As fate would dictate, I also had the opportunity to join another set of cousins, from Edgar's Mom's side of the family.  Being flanked by family signaled to me once again that celebrating happy memories is a healthy way to move forward.

No More Big "Buts"

We limit ourselves each time we use the word "but".  I'd like to _______, but I only know how to________.  If we banish this enormous little word and substitute the word "and", we move ourselves immediately to considering possibilities of how to achieve our goals, dreams and desires.

What Might Have Been

What might have been, wasn't.  When we allow ourselves to quit replaying what if scenarios, we free ourselves to accept what is and what might be.

All or Something

As a recovering perfectionist, I understand "all or nothing" approaches to projects.  And in dealing with grief, I've adopted a "something is all it takes" approach.  Micro-approaches to projects are amazing!  Getting started is often the most important part of tackling a difficult, overwhelming or unpleasant project.  Committing 15 minutes to a task breaks the barrier.  Now the project is started.  When we give ourselves the option to quit after 15 minutes, we can choose to continue or schedule another 15 minutes at another time.

And, choosing to organize a drawer or cabinet, rather than a room or whole house,  provides a chance to more easily celebrate success.

If you have a drawer full of business cards that you've intended to enter into your contacts system, consider entering 10 per business day.  The stack will rapidly diminish within a month, and once you begin to see an end in sight, you might even commit to keeping your newly acquired cards, and LinkedIn connection requests current.

When we move from "all or nothing" to "all or something" thinking, icebergs become ice cubes.

Cheers!

Creating New Memories

Often, when we are faced with grief or change, our instinct is to hold on to the familiar.  However, grief and change require us to do things differently.  When we accept that we can't stop time, it frees us to move forward.

Dread prefaces special occasions and holidays.  Changing the expected celebrations allows us to acknowledge our missing, and create new ways of coping and moving forward.

My birthday came far too close to Edgar's death to anticipate celebration.  However, fabulous family and friends created special new memories to create joy and allow me to move forward.

Antidote for Idonwanna

I recently had a rare case of  "I Don't Want To" - better known as Idonwanna.  The generally persuasive triplets, Should, Could and Must, weren't effective.  However Itty Bitty cured me.  By allowing myself to tackle some big tasks in 15 minute chunks, I started some and finished other nagging projects.

Itty Bitty is a terrific Idonwanna antidote.

Living Life Forward

We would never arrive at our destination if we looked only in the rear view mirror.  So many find themselves in park or going in reverse by viewing only what is behind them.  Only when we use the windshield and side view mirrors do we have a clear view of possibilities and a path forward.

Get Up and Write It Down!

Too many sleepless nights...

I finally realized that getting up and writing down all the thoughts that were invading my sleep was time well spent.

It's hard to accept that hopping out of a cozy, but sleepless bed, will yield short-term results.

Each time I've fought the urge to toss and turn in my comfy bed and write it all down, I've ended the night refreshed, rested and with a comprehensive to-do list in the morning.

Just get up and write it down!