"Why should I be unhappy?
Every parcel of my being is in full bloom."
Rumi
Do Not Despair
Things can happen in life that sends us down the road to despair. But when you give into a hopeless, pessimistic view of life it's often difficult to find your way back to engaging in a productive and satisfying life. Why is that? And what can we do to keep ourselves from falling into deep despair and sadness?
As American Historian, Howard Zinn spelled it out so clearly, "Pessimism is a self-fulfilling prophesy; it reproduces itself by crippling our will to act."
"You can't prevent the birds of sorrow from flying overhead,
but you can prevent their building nests in your hair."
Chinese Proverb
Never Lose Your Willingness to Act
To get through life we must accept that 'birds of sorrow' will fly over us many times while at the same time we must accept there are things we can do to 'prevent their building nests in our hair'.
The key to keeping despair and sorrow from taking up residence in us is to continuously take steps in the direction of the life we want despite the birds of sorrow flying overhead.
We must never lose our willingness to act. It is through the physical acts of doing something positive that we show ourselves we can move beyond the current situation leading us to become pessimistic and despair for the future.
"She breathes in dirt and exhales flowers."
Anon
Regenerative Action
Sometimes the positive physical actions we take in response to the birds of sorrow flying overhead have nothing directly to do with our sorrow. Sometimes they're just the little regenerative activities that help us reengage in life--gardening, hiking, art, writing a letter, or cheering someone else on.
Whatever the action we take that moves us towards active living will make a difference as it breaks the spell of immobilization and the freezing of our emotions.
"Play in the dirt because life is too short to always have clean fingernails."
The Praire Homestead
The Blue Bird of Happiness
Bringing you Cheer!
Today's a New Day
Be of Good Cheer
If something has caused you to despair of late, get out there and do some simple restorative activity. Don't think about it--just do it. Time and positive action will lead you to better times.
Thanks to Kimberly Asborno
Thanks to my childhood friend, Kimberly Asborno, for allowing me to scribble over her award-winning succulents. I love succulents--the little 'fat guys' make me happy.
Of late I've been thinking about the good times I spent with Kim all those years ago. So when I saw her perfect succulents they made me think how we were cozy like that. And despite losing touch through the years, she still holds a place in my warm and fond memories of years gone by.
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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up
and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to
your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life
easier than ever before.
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