Day 3424: What we try to avoid

Last night, I asked a question on Twitter about what people try to avoid:

The many interesting answers include COVID, toxic people, bullets, crowds, drinking, certain types of food, conflict, drama, and (of course!) last questions of the day. There is no avoiding the cleverness and resourcefulness of the people on Twitter.

I notice we humans also try to avoid difficult feelings, like grief — which is a problem during these grief-inducing times. I believe we need to welcome all our feelings as a way to move through them. Even though I’ve shared it before, I will not avoid presenting this wonderful poem by Rumi:

I’ve also observed that people can avoid taking action — for fear of failure, mistakes, or a “wrong” decision. When I feel frozen by fear (a state I try to avoid), I move forward by reminding myself to avoid that very human tendency for all-or-nothing thinking. Most decisions are not 100% wrong or right, after all. I’m not going to avoid making mistakes and I can usually correct for a decision that isn’t great. I don’t avoid reminding myself, over and over again, that failure is a construct and that my missteps are not the end of the world.

At the same time, I avoid voting for the wrong people because these days that could definitely be the end of the world.

I’m not avoiding sharing my latest images with you.

Coincidentally, I try to avoid assholes, kale, and bacon.

Here’s what comes up on YouTube when I search for “what we try to avoid.”

I hope you don’t avoid the comments section, below, and I never avoid expressing gratitude for all those who help me blog every day, including YOU!

Day 3153: Waiting for the next thought

Waiting for the next thought is a technique for entering the present moment, as described in a video I posted here earlier this week:

Yesterday, I used that for the mindfulness exercise in a Coping and Healing group. I told the group members to leave behind overthinking about the future and the past by asking themselves “What will my next thought be?”

Personally, I found this to be a very effective way to quiet my busy mind. The anticipation, curiosity, and wonder about the next thought focused me and emptied my mind in a way I had never experienced before.

Are you waiting for my next images?

Waiting for your next thought? My next thought is to share “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s 9th.

I’m waiting for the next time when we can gather together in large groups like that without fear. My next thought is this: that time will come, we just don’t know how long we have to wait.

I’ll be waiting for the next comments on this blog post.

Waiting for my next expression of gratitude?

Day 3151: What can you appreciate in this moment?

What can you appreciate in this moment?

Can you appreciate my images for today?

I can appreciate the Daily Bitch in this moment, among other things.

In this moment, I appreciate this video I found on YouTube:

In this moment, I appreciate YOU.