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Wednesday, 31 January 2024
On this day of your life
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I believe God wants you to know ... ... that on this
day will you have an opportunity to attend your own campaign. You are invited by
life to elect yourself a Spiritual Leader, and to take
office today. What does a spiritual leader
say? A spiritual leader does not say, "Follow
me." A spiritual leader says, "I'll go first." Decide today to
take the oath: I promise to "go first" in demonstrating
forgiveness, compassion, understanding, generosity,
kindness, cheerfulness, positivity, and love. |
Reactions to Life Events (OM)
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Our past
experiences, can and do, influence our emotional reactions and responses to
present events. Our experiences color everything. The
events of the past can have a profound effect on how we see our lives now and
what we choose to believe about our world. Our past experiences can also
influence our emotional reactions and responses to present events. Each of us
reacts to stimulus based on what we have learned in life. There is no right
or wrong to it; it is simply the result of past experience. Later, when our
strong feelings have passed, we may be surprised at our reactions. Yet when
we face a similar situation, again our reactions may be the same. When we
understand those experiences, we can come that much closer to understanding
our reactions and consciously change them. Between stimulus and reaction exists a
fleeting moment of thought. Often, that thought is based on something that
has happened to you in the past. When presented with a similar situation
later on, your natural impulse is to unconsciously regard it in a similar
light. For example, if you survived a traumatic automobile accident as a
youngster, the first thing you might feel upon witnessing even a minor
collision between vehicles may be intense panic. If you harbor unpleasant
associations with death from a past experience, you may find yourself unable
to think about death as a gentle release or the next step toward a new kind
of existence. You can, however, minimize the intensity of your reactions by
identifying the momentary thought that inspires your reaction. Then, next
time, replace that thought with a more positive one. Modifying your reaction by modifying your
thoughts is difficult, but it can help you to see and experience formerly
unpleasant situations in a whole new light. It allows you to stop reacting
unconsciously. Learning the reason for your reactions may also help you put
aside a negative reaction long enough to respond in more positive and
empowered ways. Your reactions and responses then become about what’s
happening in the present moment rather than about the past. As time passes,
your negative thoughts may lose strength, leaving only your positive thoughts
to inform your healthy reactions. |
The Physics of My Rage. {Poem}
A running argument in my almost 20-year-old marriage—one that neither of us will ever win—is which one of us is the worse stealer of the covers.
There have been times when I’ve woken up with the entire top sheet somehow wrapped completely around me, making me wonder if he might be right.
But then there are nights when I’m up late reading and he’s tossing and turning, taking the entire comforter over to his side, leaving me exposed and cold as an icicle.
It happens often since I’m a night owl and usually still awake after my husband has fallen asleep. I’ll try to present this evidence for my defense whenever the playful argument ensues, yet he never yields and sticks to his accusation that I’m the head cover thief.
Every time it happens, I feel a spurt of rage for not being believed, silly as it is, and tonight this poem came to me as I shivered once again on my side of the bed.
~
Rage
It is always there
Like energy that can never be created or destroyed, its form can only change
Sometimes faint
Sometimes fierce
Always under the surface, mostly
Triggered by imperfection
When I don’t pay attention and hit my head so hard my teeth rattle, feeling like a klutz
Triggered by silly
When I yank them back after he tugs the covers to his side of the bed, feeling like a warrior
Triggered by obvious
When I am lied to and manipulated by people I thought I could trust, feeling like a fool
Who passed it down?
What is it meant for?
When is it okay?
Where does it come from?
Why can’t it be controlled?
How can it be ignored?
It is real
It is valid
It is a reflection, of love
How could I rage if I did not know love?
How could I rage if I did not feel love?
How could I rage if I did not mourn love?
It is not meant to be beat
To be conquered
To be crushed
It is not meant to be suppressed
To be abandoned
To be erased
It is meant to be felt
To be observed
It is meant to be accepted
To be released
It is meant to be loved, by me
As I never was, by them
Rage
It will always be there
Like energy that can never be created or destroyed, its form can only change
Sometimes fierce
Sometimes faint
Always under the surface, mostly
And I will love it
Like I never was
Because it is a part of me
And I must love all of me
Compassionate and reserved
Stubborn and flexible
Impulsive and thoughtful
Trustworthy and irresponsible
Naïve and wise
And sometimes, raging.
~
3 Earth-Helping Strategies that will Better our Well-Being & the Planet’s Well-Being.
In the summer, when it is hot and I need a cold beverage, I always stop at my favorite coffee shop on Pearl, with my water bottle in hand.
After ordering an iced tea at the counter, I ask the person if they can fill up my water bottle instead of a single-use cup. They happily say yes and mark off some money.
Now that it is winter, I love to use an insulated and reusable mug, like a Contigo or Yeti, to grab a hot chocolate or sweet chai.
I make my routine work for myself and the planet because as a global community, we have many environmental issues on our hands. In my opinion, the most pressing ones are single-use items, abundant plastic waste, and unsustainable transportation. Yet, there is hope on the horizon.
In our daily lives, we can choose to reuse, avoid plastics, and use public transport.
Reusables
Reusable containers for lunches, snacks, leftover food, and drinks make a huge positive environmental impact. Each time you use a reusable alternative to plastic, you are not supporting the fossil fuel industry to keep creating plastics. Changing habits is not easy, but if you begin to carry, use, wash, and clean reusable items like travel mugs, glass food containers, and metal silverware, it becomes more familiar, feels good, and protects the earth.
Avoid Plastic Packaging
Do you ever notice how much plastic waste results from a Costco run or trip to the grocery store? In many stores, the products we use daily are coated in plastic. Many companies choose single-use containers because they keep food fresh, items sealed, and prices low. There are alternative ways for consumers to get food and other products without the packaging.
Building routines is an important step in implementing more earth oriented strategies into your life.
Here are some ideas on shopping almost zero-waste:
>>Farmers markets: fresh organic produce—no packaging; check dates and times.
>> Bulk and zero-waste stores—Nude Foods Market in Boulder, CO, and Simply Bulk in Longmont, CO, are two.
>> Sustainable cooking—use bulk sourced items, collected with your own jars and containers so there is less plastic involved in your masterpieces.
>> Eco lifestyles—watch, copy, and learn from mentors! See if their strategies work for your lifestyle. If not, change them to fit your groove better.
>> Cloth bags and containers—bring your own for veggies, fruits, bulk, and more.
Alternate Transport
Boulder County has a neat bus system and can be used by everybody. Tip: anyone 19 and under can ride free on public transport in Boulder County. I suggest trying the bus to get to and from work or school. Number one tip for first timers: the day before, get your schedule down by checking the RTD app. I like to wake up a little earlier than usual. One time, I missed the RTD bus because I forgot to check the schedule. I saw it leave Broadway and Regent (20th street) while I was waiting to cross the road, yikes! The importance of timing.
If you drive into town, consider carpooling with someone you know. You might gain a new friend!
Finally, walking and biking. Boulder has so many bike paths that go all over town, getting you places fast and efficiently without the emissions. I bike to my job regularly and really enjoy it. I suggest getting a good lock for your bike and not leaving it after dark or overnight. I recommend this because when I left my bike overnight after school, my seat was gone by morning! I have many other tragic bike anecdotes, but I will not go there.
If you apply earth-helping strategies like reuse, staying away from plastic packaging, and alternative transportation to your daily life in a way that fits your lifestyle, you will know that you are bettering your own well-being and the planet’s well-being. If you are extra ambitious and want more specific ways to reduce your waste, look at my presentation that I made here.
~
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