Walking in the zone...

I have been making a concerted effort of late to "parcel" my problems and concerns - standard advice that we all hear but don't always put to practical use.  My difficulties are relatively few and I am sure that, given a choice, I would choose my own over anyone else's.  However, there is one sizeable issue that never resolves, seems to worsen with each passing year, and has the power to make me nearly crazy.  It operates outside reason, fairness and logic and exists completely outside my early experiences - thus, I tend not to have any deep sense of how to navigate it from one year to the next.  When I allow myself to be impacted by it, I am torn between wanting to fight hard and wanting to lie down and wave a white flag (shades of anger and depression).  Worse, however, is the fact that my wound up emotions spill over on everyone around me - canines included.  That is what I resent the very most.  I believe that craziness and negativity are actually contagious and we all need to protect ourselves from these energies.

So, for the first time in over a decade, I am making a conscious effort to stay sane, keep my focus on the great number of things that are good in my life (recognizing that I am truly blessed), and deliberately not giving time, thought or adrenaline to the problems that never reslove.  Happily for me and those around me - it has been working like a charm.  I am feeling cheerful, empowered, grounded, and focussed.  It really is within our power (like all the books and self-help gurus say) to choose how we are going to guide ourselves and our energies. Situations are taking their course and I am getting on with my days and nights. 

Interestingly, I now find myself to be walking "in the zone".  What do I mean?  Well, finances are tight but I bought some much-needed new clothes (to the cheers of my family).  My hair was a greying low-budget affair (I am expert at cheaping-out) that I finally spent some real money on - to more familial applause.  My teaching career is humming - I am enjoying this school year's cohort of kindergarten children more than I ever have before.  Family life is lovely and our house continues to be full of people who truly enjoy each other's company.  I have stripped excess commitments and demands from my life such that I have time to be home with the people that I care most about when the work day is done.  I don't exercise beyond walking dogs and that's very okay.  Guilt has no power over me!

And so, here I am, sitting happily in the driver's seat of my life - at last.  It's important that I remember to keep myself there, instead of allowing myself to be "taken for a ride".  I am glad to have found the resolve to parcel my problems and keep them in their boxes.  I highly recommend it!

Sending you a smile,

Wondering Woman