Day 4149: Awareness

In my therapy group mindfulness exercises, I often suggest that people breathe in gratitude, acceptance, unconditional self love, and awareness.

For me, awareness includes understanding and letting go of old, outdated, and unhelpful beliefs — for example, if I put myself out there, something terrible will happen. My awareness tells me that old belief is born from an awareness of superstitious fears in my family as well as terrible things happening (including scary heart problems and painful hospitalizations and operations) when I was just starting to put myself out there as a child.

People who regularly read this blog may have an awareness that I will be putting myself out there in a matter of weeks in a concert/album taping of my original songs. My awareness tells me that something terrible might happen but good things are more likely.

Do you see awareness in my images for today?

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Perhaps people now have the awareness that this blog post was inspired by International Awareness Day.

Here’s what I find when I search for “awareness” on YouTube:

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What is your awareness of your thoughts and feelings about this “awareness” post?

I hope there is awareness out there for how grateful I am for YOU!

Day 4148: Final Stages

I’m in the final stages of preparing for my June 1 concert of original songs (and the dress rehearsal with audience the week before). These final stages include:

• Setting up an Eventbrite page where people can give to Samaritans or the National Alliance on Mental Illness by purchasing tickets to the concert or by donating using QR codes or links.
• Learning to play the drums well enough to accompany myself on “It’s Hard to Get Sh*t Done When You’re Scared Sh*tless.”
• Getting all the other sh*t done so I’m ready to entertain people with 17 (!) original songs.

Do you see final stages in my images for today?

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Now that I’m in the final stages of today’s blog post, let’s see what I find on YouTube when I search for final stages:

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I also find this:

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Final stages, for me, always include gratitude, so thanks to all who are here, now, including YOU!

Day 4147: Trust your intuition

Today is Trust Your Intuition Day and I am going to trust my intuition to make that the subject of today’s blog.

My intuition is telling me to ignore my negative thoughts (which can feel like intuition) and to focus on preparing for my upcoming concert of my original songs, which is the same week as my college reunion.

Can you trust your intuition about my images for today?

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My intuition tells me that something is missing from this blog post. Maybe I can find it on YouTube.

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Please trust your intuition about leaving a comment, below.

My trusty intuition is telling me to express my gratitude for YOU!

Day 4146: Discouraged

Sometimes, I get discouraged. As with any experience, I know I’m not alone.

Are you discouraged by any of my images for today?

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Here’s the tune Chris Delyani (see above) listens to when he gets discouraged:

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I also find this when I search for “discouraged” on YouTube.

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What are your thoughts and feelings about this “discouraged” post?

Thanks to all those who help when I get discouraged, including YOU!

Day 4145: Wellness

When I’m in a state of wellness, everything seems easier.

Do you see wellness in my images for today?

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Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “wellness.”

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I’m noticing that TED talk on wellness happened right before the COVID lockdown, which greatly affected people’s experience of wellness.

What are your thoughts and feelings about wellness?

Thanks to all who contribute to my wellness, including YOU.

Day 4144: All the feelings

In therapy, we often talk about accepting all the feelings, even the ones that make us uncomfortable.

In one of my original songs “Hidden Thoughts” — which I will be performing on May 26 and June 1 — I am going to express all the feelings, nonverbally.

I am feeling insecure about that, so I decided to consult my feelings chart at work for some preparation and inspiration.

Arrrrgh! That’s a feeling I can express non-verbally in that song and I’m feeling it, here and now, because my photos aren’t uploading again today.

Phew! That’s another feeling I can express non-verbally in my song and I’m feeling it, here and now, because I have a Plan B to upload my photos and publish my blog post (even though it will take more time and effort than Plan A).

Do you see all the feelings in my images for today?

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Here‘s what I find when I search for “all the feelings” on YouTube.

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I predict that TED talk will help me with all the feelings I’m going to have preparing for my concert. I also predict that I will recommend that TED talk to my patients, who have all the feelings.

What are all the feelings and thoughts about today’s post?

All the feelings I have include gratitude for YOU.

Day 4143: A Life Worth Living

Even though I’ve forgotten this during some painful times, I’ve always had a life worth living.

A person in my therapy groups says that they don’t have a life worth living if they don’t regain the mobility they had when they were younger. Other group members try to convince that person that they do have a life worth living, here and now. I recognize that different people have different ideas of what makes a life worth living.

Do you see a life worth living in my images for today?

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When I search for “a life worth living” on YouTube, I find this:

… this:

… and this:

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What do you think makes a life worth living?

Thanks to all who make life worth living, including YOU.

Day 4142: Lists

I’ve got lists of things I need to do to prepare for my live album taping/concert (coming up soon!). Those lists include decisions about my set list — how many of my original tunes to perform and in what order.

When I feel insecure and scared about doing something for the first time, it helps to list what I do know. For example, it just occurred to me that here in this blog, every day, I make decisions about what to include and in what order, and that works out okay. Some people might think my lists are too long or too short and might disagree with my choices, but (1) you can’t please everybody and (2) maybe people aren’t as judgmental as I fear.

In therapy, I’ve been working on some very old, fixed beliefs, including

• I can’t be heard,
• It’s not safe, and
• If I put myself out there, terrible things will happen.

I’m trying to replace that list of unhelpful beliefs with new ways of thinking.

Do you see more lists in my other images for today?

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Some lists are longer than others. I’ll try to observe World Laughter Day as I (1) do my daily Tai Chi routine, (2) talk to my friend Jeanette, (3) work on the invitation to my concert, (4) take a singing lesson, (5) practice my drumming, (6) go food shopping with my husband Michael, (7) talk to my son and his father, (8) run through my entire set list, and (9) get ready for work tomorrow.

Suddenly, I’m exhausted. Maybe lists don’t always help.

Here’s what I find when I search for “lists” on YouTube.

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What are you thoughts and feelings about lists?

Here’s a list of what I’m thankful for, here and now:

• Being alive another day,
• People I love,
• Having many original songs to share with others,
• Cats,
• Flowering trees,
• People who inspire me,
• Those who answer my questions, and
• YOU!

Day 4141: The unknown

At the beginning of anything (including this blog post), much is unknown.

Many people are afraid of the unknown, but what is unknown becomes more known if we are present for it.

Do you see the unknown in my images for today?

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At this point, it’s unknown which of those daily holidays I’ll be observing (although the wonderfulness of Dave Brubeck’s music is not unknown to me).

When I look for the unknown on YouTube, I find this:

… this:

… and this:

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Thanks to all who help me face the unknown, including YOU!

Day 4140: Still waiting

I’m still waiting for my jaw to stop making really annoying noises (which only I can hear) whenever I speak or sing.

While I’m still waiting, I’m still going to speak and sing out anyway.

Are you still waiting for my images for today? Here they are:

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If you were still waiting to find out the initial inspiration for today’s post, it was the Daily Bitch.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “still waiting.”

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What are you still waiting for? If you’re still waiting for gratitude, many thanks for being here, now.