What can I let go of?

Great events make me quiet and calm; it is only trifles that irritate my nerves.
--Queen Victoria

Isn't that always the way? We cope with major events, like births and weddings, fairly well. It is the little things--so inconsequential in the long run--that upset us. If the kids don't pick up their rooms, or dinner is late, or we can't go to the movies because we haven't done our homework, we become irritated and annoyed. Minor things like these upset us much more than they should.

Are they really so important? A messy room is not a terminal illness. A late dinner won't affect our health unless we get so upset about it we make ourselves sick. We'll survive.

If we think back to the last time we were angry or upset, does it seem important now? We probably can't even remember why we reacted that way. How much better life is when we let go of the little irritations.

What irritation can I let go of today?


Today's Gift

[Hopefloats]

oooh Doug, you got me on this one..big time. I am one of those people that like order in my life. Oh yes, I love a clean house, and I have my routine. When my life was facing interruptions, Mr.Hope asked me on the "big scale" of life, just how important were certain things to me.. Now this is from a woman that cannot NOT make her bed..lol

Anyway, with taking care of mom and my own health, and the stresses that I have faced in my life, I have had to make a choice. What could I let go of, that I could live with to restore the balance inside of me. I had to accept that I could not get everything done, and I had to make adjustments that I could live with, so that the stress of pushing myself, and making big deals out of what was not getting done would stop.

This week, I began adding more to my life..Aaah but to add more of the "taking care of me" things, I had to let go of those things that on the big scale, just don't matter.

So, I would rather make extra time for a massage than worry about 2 coffee cups in the sink. I also have gotten better at asking for what I need. I happen to have someone in my life, that cares deeply about my needs, and is always willing to work with me.

Sunday if Aunt Paula can come and take mom for a ride, it IS to hel* with Sunday chores. I am gonna make myself bootiful, and Mr. Hope are taking a Sunday date together

This was a struggle for me. I am efficient by nature, and I am orderly and well...need I say more. But I have learned that there are more important things in life, than to be so upset over an unmade bed..DID I just say that?

I have more work to do on this, but thank you for causing me to pause again today, and to remember those thoughts.
Hopefloats

[Dan]

Originally Posted by Today's Gift

What irritation can I let go of today?

All o'dem.
And that's made much easier if I don't set out to create new ones.

[shestruggles]

Your timing is perfect, Doug, I needed that today!

[Live]

I have found this week that I have a big problem and put far too much weight on whether my family or friends are disappointed in me or think me a failure when things go wrong.
I do not think of myself as a people pleaser, in general I am not. And I make my own choices.
It is when I announce a choice and it does not go well that even tho' I don't think I have failed I get a deep sense of shame, knowing the way my family can be critical and will think me a failure AGAIN.
I thought I had done alot of freeing work from alot of this, but the last two weeks have been a spotlight on this problem and perception.
I am glad to be able to talk about it, and to identify something clearly that I wasn't much aware of. I need to let go of this.
Thanks,
live