Observations (a.k.a. Lessons Learned)

It is early morning as I write this post. I want to capture my thoughts before they fade as the sun rises.

These are my observations or lessons learned.

Be genuine about my feelings. Face it, I need to be honest to myself before I can be honest with anyone else. If I am angry, the sooner I admit it the faster I will be able to cope with it and move through it to get where I want to be.

Sometimes there is better living through chemistry. I would be dead without insulin. The sooner I accept this is what I need right now, the sooner I can get on with living and contribute to those around me.

Change things often. I am a creature of habit. It is a good idea to make changes to make sure the way I am working really is the best way for me right now. It challenges me to pay attention to what is going on and what needs to happen.

Pay attention to what is happening. Seeing the obvious requires noticing small things, big things and everything in between. This takes work that I'm not always willing to give. When I notice things, I am able to adjust my actions to align with my purpose.

Keep a journal. It helps to write/draw/create something everyday. It captures moments in time that I want to remember. No one encouraged me to do this growing up and that makes me sad. Journaling allows mento understand what is going on in myself. Whatever is going on in myself is valuable. It also helps me pay attention.

I have impact. I matter. I don't understand what that impact is every time. I want to understand but that's not what's important. I don't need to understand. I need to remember
that I have impact (positive and negative).

Tell people what I love about them. Say it so they can hear it from you. Say it so I can hear myself say it. I realize this is scary because people could reject what I am saying. They are my feelings and they matter.

Create and share. Knitting is a way I share myself with the world. Regardless of the project (cost, yarn used, size, time spent), handmade items have artistic value and make the world beautiful. I created a lot of artwork in college. Most of it is sitting in a room, unused and unappreciated. It may be time to let it go to make room for more creativity.

Be gracious. Say "thank you," "please," and "you're welcome." These are really magic words, especially when said with meaning and not lost in a bunch of vocal blathering that takes the power away from that being acknowledged. "Thank you BUT it was no big deal..." lessens the impact.

I don't like to... There are things I don't like to do (cut grass, housework, math, etc.) and that's okay. it is not good or bad. It just is. The sooner I accept this, the sooner I will be happy with myself.

Stop "shoulding" myself. "I should..." leads me into feeling less than I am. Am I doing something because you think I should or because I've given it thought and think it is true? I can't just accept what others tell me without considering it through my own eyes.

Get second opinions. This helps me cope when I am "shoulding" myself. Broadening my understanding really helps me.

Ask for what I need instead of being afraid of what people will think about me. This is currently a hard lesson for me and is taking time to change. When I ask, I give people an opportunity to share what is good about them with me.

Release clutter. Things/Stuff/Baggage clog up my "energy flow," make me numb and slow me down. Donate it, give it away, trash it or put it in its proper place. This goes for emotional as well as physical things/stuff/baggage.

Take more risks. Scary and exciting, taking risks gives amazing results. Start small and build up to larger risks is best. What is a big risk for me may appear small to others. They don't understand. They don't have to understand to support me. I have to tell them the impact (outloud) so they can understand.

Read. I am not much of a reader of books. It doesn't matter what I read as long as I'm taking in information and adding to my brain power. The more I use my brain, the stronger it gets. As an adult, I don't remember being read to as a child. I remember seeing my dad read a lot as a kid. He read magazines, newspapers, users manuals and the like. It wasn't until I was in college I saw him reading a book. Dad was one of the most intelligent people I know. He got that way by reading and applying what he learned.

Spend time with people I love. Make time to visit my family and friends. Call my mom/spouse/child/friend in the middle of the day just to say "Hi." I might be the remedy for their ill.

Post comments on blogs, no matter what I think others will say about my comment. Lurking is okay for awhile but people like to hear from others.

Set goals and be willing to adjust them. *Get clear about the outcome of the project, stop and check progress, adjust goal, repeat from *.

Thanks for reading this reminder to myself.