Worldwide Stew

Wait before you make any resolutions

Wait before you make any resolutions. If you don’t, your resolutions make may cost you time, vital energy, money, and hope about your ability to change.

The making of resolutions is a time-worn transition marking the beginning of a new year. Usually, we focus on our deficits, and then create a grocery list of needed changes. If we listen to advertisers, it almost literally turns into a shopping list. Who we are wasn’t good enough. So, voila, we’ve bought a laundry list of things or apps we’ve been told will help us feel better about ourselves.

Make do with what you have

Imagine you’re asked to fetch a ball. Without arms or legs.

I’m sorry. I can’t. In fact, the very fact that you ask is is insulting and cruel.

But, is it possible we could, at the very least, contemplate working it out: how could I fetch a ball without arms or legs?

We’ll come back to that in a second.

Do animals play?

Yes, it seems some do. But, you have to take into account the definition of play. If an animal does something once, it’s likely a fluke. If the animal does it multiple times on it’s own, it’s possibly play. If the animal does it on request, it might also be play.

Lotion

The days are cooler with the onset of Fall and Winter. My skin cuts more easily. It’s dried out.

You, too?

Lotion may be part of the answer. It might help the scratches, the itching, and it might reduce skin discomfort.

But, I’ve brought up lotion for another reason. I want to encourage you to apply it regularly. Slowly. Thoughtfully. Mindfully.

Notice how it feels to touch the skin. To care for myself. To feel the fingertips glide across the skin. What does the sensation of added moisture feel like?

Having Teeth

I think I was unfailingly gentle with patients, let them rant, and tolerated their abuses. Eventually, their rant lost steam and we started to get to the core of their often legitimate frustrations. They might be directed at an unrealized hope for a dreamed of healing. Or, they might feel they weren’t understood. A pinhole in a balloon release pressurized air madly at first out of a pricked balloon. Then, the balloon eventually loses pressure and falls to the floor. That is often the way it is with our anger. For me and for patients. You just had to allow the progression of release without judgment.

The power of silencing Notifications

During a meditation today, right when I was getting into my space of mental clarity, a notification came through.

It’s good online meeting etiquette to mute ourselves when we join meetings, unless you’re hosting the meeting.

But, we might also take the next step and turn off our notifications. If you’re on iOS (Apple) these are found under your Focus settings.

Don’t be like me. Avoid interruptions right when you get into the Zone. Show up for yourself with care. Turn off distractions and Notifications. They’ll be there later.