Day 3681: That’s the story of my life

Yesterday, my husband Michael said “that’s the story of my life” regarding something negative, which I’ve heard a lot in my life.

Most of us have negative narratives (like “I never get what I want”) that cause us to say “that’s the story of my life” when things don’t work out. It’s important to realize “that’s the story of my life” also includes exceptions to those narratives, since the stories of our lives are complexly rich with negatives and positives, too.

I almost said “that’s the story of my life” yesterday when somebody resisted listening to me and made it difficult for me to get what I needed. I felt helpless and beaten thinking “that’s the story of my life” until I remembered a traumatic experience in the hospital many years ago when an anesthesiologist callously refused to honor an easily-granted request from me. After realizing “that was then and this is now” and that I wasn’t doomed to repeat negative experiences, I was appropriately assertive yesterday, got what I wanted, and proved again that “that’s the story of my life” includes good outcomes too.

Yes, “that’s the story of my life” means problems but also solutions, uncertainties but also resolutions, rejections but also loving relationships.

When I look at my images for today I think, “that’s the story of my life,” in a good way.

.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “that’s the story of my life.”

.

Thanks to all who make the story of my life better, including YOU.

Day 3597: How things are going to turn out

As much as I try to appreciate and dwell in the precious current moment, it’s hard not to wonder and worry about how things are going to turn out.

When focusing on how things are going to turn out interferes with my ability to appreciate the present, I redirect my attention, over and over again, to being here, now.

Nevertheless, I do wonder how things are going to turn out today, tomorrow, and on Election Day this Tuesday. I worry about how things are going to turn out for my son Aaron and future generations. I hope Americans turn out in record numbers to vote this time.

I don’t know how the future will turn out, but I do know how things turned out yesterday for me, because I

• got my hair cut by the fabulous Mia,
• went for a beautiful walk with my beautiful friend Barbara,
• spent time with other humans and cats I love,
• had delicious food, and
• made some final decisions about the repair work to our home.

Let’s see how this blog post turns out, shall we?

.

It turns out I found this on YouTube when I searched for “how things are going to turn out saxophone.”

.

Thanks to all who helped me turn out another daily blog post, including YOU!!!!

Day 3454: Belonging

As a group therapist and as a human being, I think a lot about belonging. Here’s a definition of belonging:

.

Now I be longing for a longer definition, so here’s a definition of “belong.”

From what I’m reading and experiencing, more people, here and now, are feeling like they do not belong in the USA because of a vocal minority gaining more power over the majority. It’s difficult belonging to a country where gun rights are protected more than human rights.

Do you see belonging in my images for today?

My sense of belonging is all about being with those I love, so happy National Beautician’s day to Mia, the beloved beautician for my friend Barbara (pictured above), my friend Deb, and me!

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

I look forward to reading the comments, belonging below, about this belonging post.

Thanks to all belonging here, including YOU!

Day 3412: Change

Change is very much on my mind today.

Without fundamental change in our laws and attitudes, I fear for the future of the human race. I do believe in people’s ability to change — otherwise I couldn’t do my job as a psychotherapist. However, I just don’t know if the human race can change quickly enough.

As I change over to the visual part of today’s blog, do you see change in my images for today?

My son Aaron — who experienced a change in his appearance yesterday (thanks to the amazing Mia at MiAlisa Salon) — used to call a playground a “bahgo” before we all went through many changes. I’m proud of the young man he has turned out to be.

Here is “Change” by Tracy Chapman.

One thing that does not change: my gratitude for all who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.

Day 3346: Consciousness

Thanks to my friend and hairstylist, Mia, I’m reading this wonderful book about consciousness.

Michael A. Singer describes consciousness as “pure awareness” — the part of you that is observing your thoughts, emotions, and internal and external experiences.

Here’s a dictionary definition of “consciousness.”

I’m conscious of the fact that since I’ve started reading “The Untethered Soul,” I’m more in touch with my consciousness, calmness, clarity, and joy.

What does your consciousness tell you about the other images in today’s blog?

My consciousness is aware that there is a lot going on, outside of me and inside of me. And I can’t help but wonder about a day that seems to celebrate being unconscious in public spaces.

I’m working at home today without a break from 9 – 5, so I doubt I’ll be losing consciousness at my desk.

Here’s what I find when I search for “consciousness Michael A. Singer” on YouTube:

My consciousness is aware that I am not my thoughts, feelings, or this message on the side of a carton of sour cream:

Thanks to all who have consciousness here and now, including YOU!

Day 3128: When you look around you, what do you see?

Yesterday, as I was looking around me, I posted this on Twitter:

As I expected, the answers to my question opened up new and wonderful windows for me to look through.

Here’s what I saw when I looked around me yesterday:

When you look around you, what do you see? I’ll look for your comments later.

I looked around YouTube and saw this:

When I look around me, I see and feel gratitude, so thanks to everyone who helps me see more and more each day, including you!

Day 3037: Living the dream

Yesterday, I saw this at Mialisa salon, where I was living the dream of getting a great haircut from the dreamy and fabulous Mia.

Mia is a dream of a hair stylist because she is

• talented,
• kind,
• thoughtful,
• curious,
• authentic,
• honest, and
• never, ever shaming (even when I do a terrible job of cutting my own bangs).

I am living the dream because I am doing all that I can to spend precious moments on this earth with people (and other creatures) like Mia.

I am living the dream because I love my work as a group therapist.

I am living the dream because I’m working at being the hero of my own story and helping others to be the heroes of theirs.

I am living the dream because I have a healthy and hilarious husband and a healthy and wonderful son.

I am living the dream because I live near the ocean and am healthy enough to take walks every day.

I am living the dream because I just got a good night’s sleep with no disturbing dreams by slowing down my busy mind and reciting this over and over again: “We are all one, connected. I am at peace.”

I am living the dream because I’m going to Nashville in two weeks with my ukulele, my original songs, and a great haircut.

Do you see any signs of me living the dream in my other photos from yesterday?

I’m living the dream because I get to have Michael’s amazing tuna salad again today.

Here’s “Livin’ the Dream” by Morgan Wallen …

… and “Living the Dream” with Usain Bolt and Nugent “NJ” Walker:

I’m living the dream by sharing daily thoughts, feelings, images, and music with YOU.

Day 2981: Come experience the difference

Come experience the difference as I get my hair cut, eat inside at a restaurant for the first time in almost a year, and hang out on Twitter and in other familiar places, completely vaccinated.

Apparently I’m not going viral, AGAIN, because I was not dead when I posted that tweet last night:

I wrote that when I was experiencing the difference of being a vaccinated woman out at our local supermarket.

Come experience the difference of my song “Vaccinated Women” after I had some time to practice it.

Come experience the difference of posting a new comment, below, and the difference of a new expression of gratitude from me to YOU.

Day 2880: Hands

Yesterday, when the wonderful hands of Mia from MiAlisa Salon were giving me a hands-down fabulous haircut, Mia told me about a beautiful way she has been self-soothing during these hard times. She holds her own hand.

Mia said that she held and held her mother’s hand in her hand while her mother was dying, and she misses her mother. Now, when she clasps her own two hands together, she feels powerfully comforted, settled, and anchored. Mia said holding hands with herself also helps her fall asleep.

I told Mia that I have been encouraging people in my Coping and Healing groups to give themselves hugs and that I will add clasping their own hands to the self-soothing repertoire.

And I am happy to report, this morning, that holding hands with myself helped me sleep through the night for the first time in months!

My sleep is also being helped by the growing certainty that my country will soon be in better hands. For the past four years, the USA has been in the hands of a toxic narcissist.

Speaking of hands, if anyone wants to see me play the ukulele with my own hands tomorrow evening, please sign up to be in the audience before the end of the day today using this link:

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/9040b4eadaa23a2f49-jamn15

As people continue to count ballots by hand, I’ll be singing “The Impossible Wait” to the tune of “The Impossible Dream.”

I took all of these photos using my hands. Can you spot the hands of Mia and my husband Michael?

Here is “Hands — A Song for Orlando” from four years ago, showing how hands can hurt and heal.

If you leave a comment with your hands, I will respond with my hands and my heart.

In this time of social distancing, please wash your hands and wear a mask. My hands go out to yours in gratitude, here and now.

Day 2755: Emotion recollected in tranquility

According to William Wordsworth (who wrote many worthy words), the origin of poetry is “emotion recollected in tranquility.”

I have emotions (including joy) about recollecting THAT,  sooooo many decades after learning it in college. I’m recollecting it today because of my recent personal experience  of having strong and upsetting emotions, letting time pass, recollecting those emotions in tranquility, and feeling resolute and happy about achievable next steps.

Therefore, I believe that emotion recollected in tranquility not only creates poetry but also creates paths to move forward through troubled times.  Instead of being so reactive to our emotions (especially anger and fear), let us recollect those feelings in tranquility to achieve wise mind (an overlap of emotional mind and logical mind).

Do you see emotion recollected in tranquility in my photos from yesterday?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In tranquility, today, I am recollecting the emotions I felt yesterday having my first restaurant meal since the pandemic began, with caution, with a new haircut, and with my long-time friend Deb.

Here‘s what comes up when I search for “emotion reflected in tranquility” on YouTube:

 

What are your emotions and thoughts about this emotion-reflected-in-tranquility post?

For me, emotion reflected in tranquility always results in gratitude, so thanks to all who help me create this daily blog, including YOU.