Pragmatic Pieces

Folks that know me know that when I get frustrated or angry, I cry. I then get more frustrated and angry because I’m crying. Being female sometimes means being emotional and even though I will try and convince myself and others that this is a negative thing, it really isn’t. Emotions aren’t a sign of weakness and I don’t know why or how I ever got convinced otherwise. If there were no emotions, I believe there would be no strength. Let’s not negate our emotions. If you have nobody to talk about your emotions to, write them down. Build on your emotional strength.

I ran across a quote of Walt Disney’s recently. “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading to new paths.” I push forward often because I do not want to be stagnant. I don’t want to, as the old adage says, “grow moss” (that old saying about a rock).

This quote brought me a different perspective. Be curious. Your curiosity about any little thing will most likely lead you to a new path. Keep it fresh today!

Have you found yourself in a “conversation” with someone and thought it wasn’t a conversation at all? Sometimes it is more like people taking turns talking. Often one person is waiting for the other’s voice to stop so they can say what they have been planning on saying the entire time the other person is talking. Take time to truly listen to the other person. Be still and look into the other’s eyes. Resist the urge to talk about yourself. Today I will aim to be an active listener!

We all do it. When it becomes a habit, complaining weakens you, whether you’ve noticed it or not. Complaining prevents happiness. It also prevents positive social interaction. Have you noticed that? I’ve caught myself whining (a lot) about too much to do and not enough time to do it. Are you likely to hang around a person that perpetually complains? Probably not. Don’t be that person! Stop complaining. It doesn’t help. Either do something about it or be quiet. I’m preaching to myself here. 🙂

We all know what happens when we allow garbage to pile up. There’s no room for anything beautiful because the garbage overtakes everything. Garbage smells bad and makes everything around it sticky and dirty. This is what happens to our body and our mind if we let stress and unhappiness pile up.

One way to get rid of stress it to release it through dedicated quiet time. During this quiet time, breathe deeply and with each outward breath release tension and let go of resentment, anger and anxiety.

Today I will not only unclutter a room in my house but also release clutter from my mind.

“It’s the little things that matter the most.” We’ve all heard the saying but do we really think this saying has legitimacy? Sometimes (especially on a Monday morning) I feel that there is no meaning or purpose for the day. Maybe the meaning and purpose for today is not something big or grandiose. Maybe it’s the little things, the details, that give the day meaning and value. Today I’m going to smile at someone to try and change that person’s mood. I’m going to appreciate taking my son to school, paying bills, and even daily works tasks. These are the little things that give meaning to my life.

You have the choice to take action. You could spend your whole life waiting for the right day, the right time, or the right circumstance to “come along”. We are all faced with choices every day, every hour. Think of a goal, large or small. Then think of one action you can take toward that goal. If you are not taking a step toward anything, the day can seem bleak and purposeless. Who wants that? I never want to be a stagnant pond — how about you? What ripples are in store for this morning, this day, this week? Pressing on toward the goal…

“Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it.” ~ Ralph Marston. All of us need to know that we are important and that our contributions are valued. To receive the respect and acknowledge we want and deserve, we must acknowledge and respect others. Today I want to make sure that others, including members of my family, know how much I appreciate them!

“It is impossible for you to be angry and laugh at the same time. Anger and laughter are mutually exclusive and you have the power to choose either.” ~Wayne Dyer, author and speaker As I’ve said before, joy is a choice. Laugher is a choice too. Why would you choose anger? Is it because you want to be recognized as being right? Holding onto anger causes loads of stress. Have you watched as someone who is so angry and frustrated clenches his fists? The knuckles turn white. Letting go of those tightly clenched fists would be so relaxing. I’m going to strive to let go of being right all the time. I’m going to relax my heart and realize that if I believe that I am right, that’s enough. It is truly narcissistic of me to think that the world will share my every opinion or that I have the obligation to the world to prove my point of view.