Personal rhythms and preferences. We’re about as
different as the many varieties of trees. (And there are a lot, as hubby and I face unending choices of wood cabinets and flooring for our new home.)
Some of us have tried to make everyone else happy for so long
that we don’t really know what our likes and dislikes are. What do we like to eat? What’s our favorite color? How would we spend a Saturday if no one else needed us? How well do you know yourself?
I know…
• I prefer a walk at 6 or 7 AM instead of 10 AM.
• I would rather go to bed at 9 PM and get up at 5 AM, than go to bed at 10 PM and get up at 6 AM.
• Moving my body, moves my mind and shifts my perspective, so exercise is critical to my overall well-being, not just my physical
health.
• The color aqua is one of God’s gift to women.
• I love overnight oats and homemade almond milk.
• My body prefers to eat a certain way, but occasionally junk food is okay.
• Journaling several times a week helps me process what’s going on in my life and yields insights I don’t get any other way.
• I don’t always have something to write
about, but if I honor a random idea that comes to mind while I’m looking for a topic, and then write the first sentence, the rest always comes. My action unleashes the spiritual download.
• When I dare to dream and speak my hopes, synchronicities appear and doors open.
• When I put myself in sunshine or in front of a body of water, or both, my spirit melts into a deeper place of calm, knowing that everything is okay just the way it
is.
• Having flowers in the kitchen and green plants around the house gives me great joy.
• A bath in the middle of the day is a decadent indulgence that I deserve.
• Scheduling recreational time helps me make sure I take it.
• Spending a lunch hour to feed my body well gives me a needed break and helps me reset and refresh.
• Coffee and dark
chocolate were meant for each other.
• I can’t drink decaf coffee and certain decaf teas after 4 PM or I won’t be able to go to sleep.
• I like bananas with a hint of green, but the really yellow ones make great banana bread.
• I avoid phone conversations after 6:30 PM because I don’t want the cognitive or emotional stimulation in those few hours before bedtime.
• My central
nervous system can only take so much conversation that includes what’s wrong with someone or something, and I have to limit my time with people who want to spend their energy on those topics.
• I deserve to take up space, to have likes and dislikes, preferences, and yes, even idiosyncrasies. Especially idiosyncrasies! I no longer have to apologize for how God made me.
• I know that it’s okay to be imperfectly
human.
• When I make mistakes (which is often), I feel better if I apologize for my part quickly so harmony is restored.
• When I have a problem, it points to a need that's worth exploring. I may have a wound that needs to be healed, or I may have to limit myself (or remove myself) from a situation.
• The solution to any problem I have with someone or something else always rests in
me.
• I know that God is there for me as much as I allow God to be, and I feel more purposeful and peaceful living a life of faith and hope.
• I am alive to be a light and hope to others, and I'm honored to do the work.
Getting to know ourselves is a worthy investment of time. Giving ourselves permission to be who we are is a courageous gift.
What do you know ...
about YOU?
PS Happy Birthday to me! Yes, it’s that time of year again. As I take another trip around the sun, I hope you’ll be along for the ride, because it wouldn’t be the same without you.
