1) In terms of mistakes and perfection- You
never get it done and you never get it wrong.
2) In terms of regret- You can't go back
and make all the unmade beds of your past. Start today.
3) In terms of being faced with "what is"
which must be true and deserving of your full attention- try to focus on what
makes you feel better. Remember that nothing is more important than how I feel
right now. It's okay to care more about feeling good right now than about "what
is".
4) In terms of sadness- which feels better
anger or sadness? Anger can sometimes feel like a gust of fresh air when
compared to depression or sadness. So if it feels better, then go for it...
write it down, yell it, get it out of you. It's like an emotional timeline...
feeling anger feels closer to hopeful and then later on happiness. Go for the
feeling or thought that makes your feel better than where you are now in this
moment.
5) In terms of empathy- Sometimes we think
we need to worry about others but sadly you
being poor or thinking about how someone is poor isn't going to help anybody
else being rich. Replace "poor" with sick. We need to see ourselves and everyone
around us in their healthy state as much as we can. We also cannot carry
everyone else. We need to be strong first. Don't sprain your ankle helping a
friend who sprained her ankle on a long hike because then both of you will be
unable to get anywhere. It is okay to be "selfish" and to not get entrenched in
other people's issues. This one is a big one to digest and one of the hardest
for us doctor/teacher types.
6) In terms of how to refuel yourself- It
takes 15 minutes to visualize well-being. Take that bath or shower. Take that
extra nap. Read or watch that funny cartoon. Sip that sweet herbal tea. Switch
the energy inside... and then close your eyes and focus on lovely things that
may be far from "what-is". A prayer or thought of appreciation is far more
helpful than a prayer of worry.
Okay, so remember to see
yourself as whole and beautiful. If you have a painful spot, thank it for all the good feelings it has
given you through all your years so far. Ask this spot to forgive you for
forgetting how wonderful it really is at its core essence and for thinking of it
as ill. Be the wellness you want to be.
Cyber hug,
Dr. Lew
