Tag Archives: new habits

START – Day 24 in a year of…

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Day 24, August 15, 2016 @3:10

Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.   -Viktor E. Frankl

IMG_7227I struggle every day in the short or long of that space.  Do I bend and pick up the dropped object or do the natural inclination of walking around it?  Sometimes, even that is too much.  I just want to sleep.

I am fighting back against inclination and old habits of giving in.  I am here another day to make new grooves of – showing up, of starting and doing of intentions.  What good are words without actions?

IMG_7235I have learned from experience it’s more effective to strike while the iron is hot.  And these dog days of summer are hot.  You wouldn’t think it is a good time to knit a sweater – a mohair one at that.  But why not and when would it be a good time?  I could find no answer to the why or when.  I have started.  The pattern is chosen.  The stitches cast.  Knit one, purl one.  One row is done. The next STARTED.  I’m on my way towards a sweater.  By December or January, I might have a new sweater to wear. How about that? Have you started something today?

Till tomorrow.

REPLENISHING

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It’s day 4 of Reverb15.  Today’s prompt and image come from Kathleen Jowitt.  She writes:

As the year ends, and we look back at the joys, achievements and disappointments of the past twelve months, it’s worth taking some time to recognise what our efforts have demanded of us and where our resources have been depleted.

Whether you have spent 2015 bringing some long-cherished project to fruition or simply trying to keep your head above water, it’s likely that this has come at some cost to you.

How can you replenish your (physical, mental, spiritual and/or emotional) resources? What do you need most of all at this moment?

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I am sure many of us arrived in December feeling the weight of the past year heavy on our shoulders.  I know I have.  It is wonderful that I have this revue, Kat McNally’s Reverb, to unload that weight.  Musing and words have always been my way of breathing in and out.  I am breathing in and out as I tap, tap out my thoughts.  I am relaxing and talking to myself.  My words and thoughts are all about myself, so no worries.  I am laying no blames, giving no excuses.  Nothing personal, OK?

2015 was one hell of a struggle, treading and treading, trying to keep my head above water. I had a project or two.  The biggest one was trying to ‘fix’ myself.  I wasn’t good enough, kind enough, generous enough, ***enough.  Enough!  Right?  Why is it that I/we feel this way?  I am sure I am not alone in this.

I failed fixing myself.  Instead I ended up harming myself more. I discovered that I did not need ‘fixing’.  Coming through the trauma of unravelling, I saw what I need was to love myself – MORE.

I am doing that – learning to love myself slowly and steadily.  New habits are difficult to learn, even loving oneself.  So I take it easy with the ‘musts’, ‘should’ and ‘have to’. I splurge a little on feeling good – nice sheets, dark chocolate, books…  No going overboard on anything.  I swim and have dates with myself. I tell myself what I like about myself.  I try to change what I don’t like.  I am luxuriating in the kindness to myself.  I have to stop writing and let that feeling sink in.