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Posts tagged ‘Transition’

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?

ConTroll

CON-TROLL, each of us have dealt with it. Don’t let IT get the best of  you.

He who angers you, controls you! In fact, anyone that you allow to evoke an emotional response from you, controls you! Yeah, yeah, yeah, you intellectually know this, but emotionally you are in a stir. And, you want to know how to disengage the negative emotions. How can you address or prevent others from upsetting your balance and evoking the negative energy in you? Great question.

First, you can consider the source. Seriously look at the person who is basically talking at you because he or she are not respecting you enough to engage in a conversation. They are either looking for a reaction, or, they are passing the buck. They are venting on you, all the pent-up negative energy they had absorbed from their experiences throughout the day or longer. Who are you allowing to anger you or trigger an emotional reaction or response from you? Who is this person, really? Is that person a supervisor, a peer, a co-worker, a family member or a friend? When possible, write down absolutely everything that this person has done to upset you on a scrap piece of paper. And then release that energy by setting that scrap paper aside for at least an hour. 

Second, consider the relationship you have with this person. This is the transformational part of handling the negative emotions to create the shift of control back into your hands. How much time and/or feelings have you invested with the person who is upsetting your balance? What is your vested interest in the relationship? What is it worth to you to maintain this relationship? After you have had some to reflect on these questions, go back and revisit that paper you set aside earlier. See what you can do to transform each statement into something positive about this person. Consider how this person has affected  your life in a positive way. What qualities does this person have that you appreciate? If you look hard enough you can find at least one thing, even if he or she is simply a catalyst on your transformation to becoming more resilient. 

emotion icon

Think about this statement: It takes less effort to pull someone down than to pull someone up. So, how can you strengthen your resolve? How about bringing others up to your level instead of allowing them to pull you down to their energy level. In that very moment when you are engaged in a situation, where you could potentially be brought into the negative energy, can you step outside yourself and the situation such that you can gain a new perspective? Can you see the bigger picture? Is it possible to rephrase your antagonist’s words into something positive? Believe it or not, you do have a choice to either give into negative emotions or positive ones.

There are many questions you can always ask yourself such as: What is the lesson in all of this? What is the positive side in this situation? Where is the opportunity in this situation? How can I bless it and move back to a place of equilibrium? What can I laugh about this situation in my life? And, who gets to control my emotions, me or others? You picked the former, right? Of course you did, because you know that you get to choose how you want to feel. Don’t let others take away your joy. Instead, be the joy for others. Be in control (of the Con-Troll).

Transitions

Transitions are those times in people’s lives when change occurs. A person moves from one time or event in his or her life to another. It can be a physical or spiritual change. Smooth and gradual transitions are easiest to a person’s being. Transitions are neutral in the sense that one can transition from a joyful existence to a negative one just as easily as one can transition from an existence of negative energy to one that is positive and joyful. In a sense, each person is in a form of transition as each person is physically aging from one moment to the next.

Besides aging, many also have emotional, spiritual and/or career transitions. How one chooses to feel during this transition is entirely up to that person. Transitions can be difficult if a person holds onto the past, whether it is regret or a longing to be who he or she once was. Letting go of the past is will ease the transition. Another harmonious way to handle a transition is to be completely present in the moment. What are you experiencing or feeling, right now? You can choose to see each present moment as a blessing and a gift.

Consider all those things that bring you joy or activities you would like to try. Do not hold back, indulge in those activities that you bring you joy or you believe you will bring you delight. These events in your life will ease all the hard transitions you are making in your life. Remember, each of us are in some form of transition. Everyone is in the flow of experiences. Embrace your transitions and let go of any negative feelings that seem attached to it.

The unknown factor, when one is in transition is the scariest. Fear arises when a person does not know who he or she will become or how he or she will end up. Consider this, you are in control of your feelings and you get to choose how to react or respond to each and every thing that is presented to you. How do you feel at this very moment?

What would you like your future to look like? It is good for a person to have a vision of what he or she would like to become. This will help a person create goals and strategies to get there; however, it is best to be open to all experiences as often life may give a person shortcut or an opportunity. So, let go of any limiting beliefs and keep your sights wide.

Another idea, is to be the person you want to become (mentally). If that person is a successful writer or artist, then take on that persona. There are many ways to get from here to there. There is no one correct path when a person is in transition. 

Also, consider your community, with whom do you spend time? Is the influence of your community aligned with your beliefs and values? What kind of connections have you made with others? How can they help you during your transition? What is your level of enthusiasm and zest for life? Are you in balance? What do you have right now that you are most grateful? Consider every aspect of your life and visualize everything in it that has been a blessing. Is there a way to build upon the blessings in your life to ease the transition in you are experiencing? Most of all, embrace your transitions. Transitions are a part of everyone’s life.

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