I'm becoming more and more aware of the moments when stress starts to creep up behind me, and one thing I've noticed is that it only happens when I'm resisting what's going on. As I pay attention to those moments when I start to get hot and bothered, I notice that there really is a common denominator, regardless of what the trigger is. Whatever the issue might be-- my 17 year old digging in his heels about his chores, or my dog tracking mud all over the house-- I really do have a choice about where to take things. I can be present and move forward with a commitment to keep feeling good, or I can get stuck in trying to make things different from the way they are.
Take today, for example. I woke up a little after three in the morning to tape a segment on Fox News (about teens who party and drink heavily. You can see it on my website under "media" if you're interested) I got in a short snooze when I got home, then worked and picked up boy and worked and so on. Around 3:30 in the afternoon I finally got my chance and fell linto a delicious sleep.
A few minutes later I was startled awake by the sound of voices outside my window. When I took a look, there were four boys (one who looks a lot like me and had been told not to wake his mom if I got the chance to catch some Zzzzz's.) They were playing golf--sort of-- outside my bedroom.
Choice: Get upset about my sweet sleep being disrupted, or enjoy those four hulking goofs in the back yard.
I chose the latter, and ended up having big fun watching them muck around.
I know we all have experiences like this, and that this example isn't anything extraordinarily. But if it reminds you to do what you already know--enjoy your kids as much as possible-- it will help you keep that commitment to choosing to accept what's going on, rather than resist it.
More to come!
Susan
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