Saturday, June 13, 2009

Well, did everyone survive the switch from analog to digital? We actually lost some channels, but I think it's because our antenna needs to be adjusted.

I opened my first email of the day from a dear friend with a lovely message for the day! Thank you, Teresa.

Harold brought home our list of do's and don'ts for packing for Alaska. That makes me a little less nervous.

There's a show on the radio this morning about overcoming self-doubt. I think self-doubt is the most insidious of obstacles. It paralyzes us, causes us to second guess ourselves, keeps us from being all that we can be. We all deal with those little voices in our heads that tell us we can't do something.

And not all of the voices are in our heads. Often other people are right there harmonizing with those negative thoughts. People who have no interest in doing what you do are more than happy to tell you how you are doing it wrong. It's easy to let those voices rule your life.

Sometimes it isn't even what someone else says, but what he or she doesn't say that speaks volumes. The show I'm listening to interviews several people with various techniques for dealing with those negative voices that try to bind us. One woman talks about "morning pages." This is something I've used in the past when I was trying to finish a book I was writing. I call it free writing or stream of consciousness. What you do is write whatever comes into your head. It may be the same word over and over or it may be a stream of unrelated phrases that pop into your head that seem to have no rhyme or reason. I used to set a timer, this woman says to write 3 pages. The object is to override the inner critic. It really is a powerful tool and I got out of the habit of doing it when I took a second job. I may return to it. Lately I have been experiencing a lot of self doubt. It seems like there are critics at every turn and it can be depressing.

Today I am choosing to ignore those who don't seem to be able to find anything positive to say. That kind of thing is contagious. Below is one of my favorite songs that seems to embody the whole "negative voices" dilemma.



Word of the day:
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Saturday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church (1195-1231)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:33-37.

Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.' But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.' Anything more is from the evil one.


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