But...I was faced with a situation that was upsetting me. Whatever. Let go and let God. Let go. Let go! Let! It! GO! But I can't. It ruffles me all up. Another Angel Richards sound bite is..."Don't own other people's stuff. These issues spill over and somehow become part of my "responsibility". So, how do I "Let go"? Well...I...let...it...go! I literally said it out loud and made my fingertips bunch up and spring out in a "letting go motion". Man, that felt so good! =) LIBERATION!!!!
On another positive note, I asked my "old" (as in former and now retired) principal to write me a letter of recommendation. I got it in the mail. What a huge joy! It's filled with real anecdotes that make me shine. I need that validation. Or perhaps I don't need it but I am so grateful for it. When those words are printed and put out into the universe it feels good. I said, "Yes" to the right person at the right time all those years ago when I was looking for my first ever teacher job. I gave of myself to a person, a school, a staff, a group of kids, a community... At the time that I agreed to work for her, it was my only job offer. It wasn't like I really had a ton of choices. (That was when there was a surplus of school teachers.) As I think back, it was so easy and effortless. I didn't know what I didn't know and just did what I thought was best. Done.
That leads me to another Angel Richards quote: "Keep Calm and Do You!" That is what I was doing all those years ago. That is what I need to do now. Nothing has changed. Easy. Piece of cake.
I think that I need a mission statement. What is my mission? What is my ministry? If I knew that, then I would know better who and when to answer "Yes/No". So, let's think about this...
Possible "Missions"
- Be happy
- Smile
- Be Christ to someone
- Be loyal to family and friends
- Spread love
I kind of like, "Smile". That is something that I can do. I can do it if it actually makes me happy or even when I'm acting as if I am happy. I can make it my mission to smile to all. Coworkers, bosses, parents, kids, strangers, and of course my family... Currently, I do smile for the bulk of my day - either as an expression of joy or as an "as if". I think that it is unexpected and easy. I've always been drawn to people who smile and have the up turned lips...
So, would it be possible to do that? Say, "My mission in life is to smile"? Could it really be that easy? And what if I don't want to smile? What if I am truly sad? Will I feel like a failure if I pout or cry? I don't want to shut down that side of myself because it also can't be healthy to bottle that up. Is there a way that I could allow for the option for "a good cry"?
Revision: "My mission in life is to smile except when I am sad." But, that gives me a huge open door to cop out when I just don't feel like smiling or when I simply want to be less that what I should be. Should I define sadness as death...almost like "loss of life or limb"? I could do that and be quite literal about it. Just allow myself to not smile when someone is truly ill, injured, or in a grave situation. That would mean that I can have permission to be sad when: someone/something is dying or when someone/something is in a grave situation.
Is this my mission?
I would say "Yes" to anything that furthers my mission (aka anything/anyone that makes me smile). How would that work when I'm asked to do something that I don't want to do? Well, I think that I find a way to make it a win-win. For example, I don't want to pull weeds. That typically doesn't make me smile. But, I do get to do something physically active, be in nature, listen to music, get some sun, and make the yard look better. Why, "YES!" Yes, I DO want to pull weeds!"
What an easy thing to do. I'm feeling like a huge pessimist though, because I'm looking for ways that this won't work...but I just can't find any faults right now!
I feel like I need to repeat my mission to make sure that it still sounds good.
My mission in life is to smile
except when there is loss of life/limb.
Done.
How should I smile? With teeth? A grin? Mona Lisa style? "Smize" a la Tyra Banks? Hummm.... That'll be my next conquest.
No comments:
Post a Comment