To Be Gentle and Patient…

I often need to remind myself to be gentle and patient…with myself.
~ Dr. Angela Kowitz Orobko

Transitions that I wish to make need to be gradual. I cannot expect to do it all in a day. It is impractical and unrealistic! No one decides in one moment to run a marathon and then try to do it the very next day! No! You need to start out gradually by slowly adding time to your walking/jogging/running routine. If daily exercise is not a part of your daily routine, then start out by walking/running for 5 to 10 minutes everyday the first week; then add time as you feel comfortable. Eventually you will be able to run the distance of a marathon.

This is the same for any major life style change we wish to make in our lives. If you wish to change your eating habits, you would gradually add and/or eliminate various foods over a course of a month or more until it becomes a habit. For example, if you wish to become a vegetarian, you would start with one or two meals a week eliminating meat and adding other protein sources. You would slowly and gradually create a bank of recipes and reorganize your refrigerator and pantry to support your life style change.

Right now, reorganizing is my pet project. I have decided to rearrange and re-do my studio so that it is more functional. I am streamlining it for efficiency, but this is taking me more time than I expected. I am going through a period of disarray, which is overwhelming. I need to remind myself to be gentle and patient…with myself. As with all things in life, it is a great reminder.

Rome was not built in a day. Gradual, doable steps are what I need to take; furthermore, I choose to do each step with joy or not do it at all! If it isn’t fun, why bother? I am also visualizing how wonderful my space will look after I have completed my project. Oh, YES! It is going to be AMAZING! I will post before and after pictures after the everything is done; but, for now, I am in process. And, I am choosing to be gentle and patient with my progress.  Are you choosing to be gentle and patient with yourself?

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Who Are You Trying to Please?

Most of you intellectually know that you cannot control the feelings of others. You simply cannot make someone happy if they have decided they are not. The only ones we need to try to please is ourselves and God. When we are in joy, guess what? Your joy will infect others! You will have more positive energy and it will show! Really! In delighting ourselves, we ultimately delight others.

However, when you spend all your energy trying to please others, that positive energy wanes. You will feel tired and unappreciated when your expectations of pleasing others is not met. Why put yourself through that. Case in point, you are expecting out-of-town family, so you go out of your way to clean your home from ceiling to floor, detailing every nook and cranny. Why? Are you doing this to make yourself happy or your guests?

Nine and a half out of ten, your out-of-town guests are there to visit you, not your spick-and-span house, right? Do what makes your happy and joy-FULL. Make  your guests feel comfortable, but don’t dampen your spirits and positive energy by burdening yourself with detailing your home. That will certainly ZAP the JOY out of you; and, it would be counterintuitive. By pleasing yourself, you will please others. Do everything in love and joy. Please yourself and God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (ESV)

Self-Centered, Yes. Why Not?

I am in the center of my world. I am famous, notable, lovable, adorable and so much more. If I do not take care of myself first then how can I take care of others. Love and charity need to begin at home; and, home starts with me. 

Are you self-centered? No? Why not? How can you serve others if you are tired, drained, exhausted, hungry and sleepy? By taking care of yourself first, you will have the stamina to serve others as the best person you can be.

There is no need to apologize to nourish your body, exercise, sleep and pamper yourself now and then to recharge your mind, body and soul.  Believe it or not, in delighting yourself, you WILL delight others. You will be in a better mood and in a better place mentally and spiritually.

Put yourself in the shoes of others, would you rather be with a tired spouse, parent or other caregiver or someone who is robust, energetic and totally engaged in you? To be the best I can be for others I am proud to be self-centered! By taking care of me first, I can better take care of others. Yes! I am self-centered. 

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