Do not let what you cannot do interfere
with what you can do.
~John Wooden
When I decided to do what I could and enjoy that, it made a difference in my life, in the quality and the happiness. Yes, I still get frustrated but by concentrating on the good things and noticing them I have more happiness.
Not being able to do things IS frustrating. It can make you angry or depressed. If you concentrate on what you lack, your failures or faults and you criticise yourself you feel worse. At this point you cannot have a good day and nothing will go right! If you only look for the negative you are going to find it. You will see every tiny unhappy thing because that is what you are focused on. It's like being in a field of wild flowers and only seeing the weeds. Do you really want to fill your life with that?
But what if you stop and look at everything you CAN do, all the things you know and all the abilities you take for granted? Think of all your good points and successes. Not only will you appreciate yourself more, you will be inspired to learn or experience MORE things. You will look for the good things, the possibilities, the small positive things in your day that before you missed because your head was too full of the negative.
The weird thing is sometimes I get so sick I can't do anything at all really and that MAKES me appreciate what I can do, even if it is small. There are many amazing things you can do, that you know or have experienced. Inside you are skills and abilities, thoughts and humour, love and life. Don't waste it. You are amazing. You have so much to offer.
Yes, there are weeds, but see the flowers? They are dancing in the breeze.
Hope you see flowers today,
Jane
aka Queen Babs
I try so hard to teach this to my Laura. She gets so down about having such anxiety and depression and constant pain. When she is doing really bad with one or all of her things, she starts to panic about EVERYTHING. She is taking an all-day English exam in April and was all ready getting so worked up about it last week, she had a major anxiety attack. Then she was totally wiped out for two days. I always try to tell her that this is how things may be now, but they won't be like this forever. We will be able to figure out her med levels. I tell her that she is smart and artistic and she is loving and kind. That she will be able to be the cosmetologist she wants to be, she will be able to go to school for her art like she wants. It is so hard, Jane. I can't imagine how she must feel, being only 15. While I realize I may have been, and probably was, like this most of my life, it is hard to see my child like this.
ReplyDeleteI know I say it all the time, but thank you. You encourage me every day, you teach me, when I forget, to see the beautiful things around me. You are such a wonderful teacher and inspiration. You touch my heart with hope and love. Thank you, dear Jane.
Hugs,
Deb
Hi Deb, i sent you some emails. Did you get them?
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that my thoughts help. Keep doing the great work you do with your Laura and be kind to yourslef too. xx