Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Looking Ahead 2007


The holiday break always seems to be too short and fly by far too quickly. It was a wonderful time spent with family and reconnecting. Not just with them, but also myself.

I am not one who makes "resolutions". I think that any changes that I feel the need to make should just be a regular part of the "work in progress" that I am on a daily basis. And that is some work!!! :-)

One area that I know that needs osme work is the area of ACCEPTANCE. That of myself and others. I am far too critital of others and not very good at self-acceptance. One new mantra is going to be," accept it, let it be." I am going to try and follow a more Buddhist approac and say," Things are as they are or " This is what is". I am going to try very hard to not always want things to be the way that I think they should be. Stop trying to control life. Let it be what it is. I have to say that I have been trying this in a small way and I am already feeling better.

I am going to try and eliminate the "shoulds" and "coulds" from my thought pattern. Stop the pattern of thinking that I have that tells me that thing should be a certain way. I have been too rigid. I need to be much more flexible. I also gave that a shot over break and the entire week was so much more enjoyable. I actually went with the flow and it was so free of stress and every moment was enjoyable and fun.

I have gone back and re-read and re-highlighted the book by Abby Seixas, that I had read rather too quickly, and gave myself an opportunity to really absorb the words. It was MUCH better the second and third times.

There is an exercise called "Wabi-Sabi Eyes". This is a Japanese exercise that focuses on the beauty in simple, humble things that are imperfect, incomplete and/or impermanent. It is a good antidote to those of us who see things through the eyes of perfection.

I am looking forward to finishing my class, the 20th, taking the final on-line test and then turning ym time to becoming my focused and active in and / or with issues. After watching "An Inconvienient Truth" I really want to find a way to become more involved in the global warming efoorts and awareness. We are totally boring, that is what we did on N Y Eve. Watched that movie and ate finger food!! If I was still teaching I would not be affraid to show it in my classroom. That was always the advantage of teaching in an alternative school, you did not have march to the beat of anyone elses drum! My 16 year old watched it and was very interested and blown away.

I am looking forward to a birthday, on the 13th, and thinking of doing something very different this year. I had thought about a trip to New York to visit a dear old friend, but to get a hotel package and a show was just TOO expensive, so I am thinking a bit smaller in scale and maybe just a hot tub and a pedicure. Something that I don't usually do. Something quiet and with few people. SO left on the 2nd for Australia, for a month, and so I will be entertaining myself until his return.

Well, I am off to work on my balance & meaning as I take my chicken enchiladas out of the oven!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have the same birthday as my daughter!

You should definitely do something special for yourself on your birthday. And I will be thinking about you that day!

Mixter

Dharma said...

How cool is that!! I will make sure to mention us both on that day!!! Will she be 18?

Anonymous said...

She turns 17... And I feel older!

Mixter

Dharma said...

Max will be 17 this year. I know what you mean!!