2024 - Week 22 - Stay Grounded

Why Struggle? Podcast w Barbara J. Faison

All the links: LINKTR.EE/BARBARAFAISON

2024 - Week 22 - Pat Yourself on the Back

You can listen to this on my podcast - 8:36 mins or click the link above for the YouTube Channel version (audio only)

This is a podcast about trusting yourself and patting yourself on the back.

How are you doing? I’m feeling really proud of myself right now. Over the long weekend my husband and I did a lot of work around the house. We both worked diligently on our projects around the house. Mine included cleaning out the refrigerator, cleaning out and organizing the pots and pans, organizing our sunroom, which had become very cluttered. And also our guest room. Well, let’s just say no one could sleep in there. Lol.

It was a very active weekend filled with lots of bags being thrown out and things being donated. Monday evening around 7:30 pm I went to sit out in the retreat space in the back of my yard, and before I could sit for five minutes, mosquitoes reminded me that it was too late to be out there. I went back to the house and was really ready to begin my evening wind down for the night. We made a lot of progress. I thought about my mom and how she would say, “Baby, remember to pat yourself on the back.”

The next thing I know, TD suggested that we move a few more things from one room to the next. Now? I thought to myself. We had been going nonstop all weekend. I’m thinking to myself, and I have been cooking. So in addition to all the cleaning and organizing, I’m cooking food. I went along with it.

At 9:00 PM, TD decides he wants to shampoo the carpet. I looked at him and said you know it’s 9:00 PM, right? And you know we both have to work tomorrow and we have been going nonstop for three days. He said yes, he knew all of those things and he proceeded to spray spot carpet cleaner in certain areas. Usually I would be more helpful and pick up items that could be picked up so he could shampoo the carpet more thoroughly. I picked up a few things that I could off the floor. My body was tired. My legs hurt, my feet hurt and I was emotionally spent.

My body was done. I took a shower. I got in the bed. I wrote a few items in my journal since I was on day 42 of journaling and I wanted to keep that commitment to myself and then I went to bed.

This reminded me of one of my book excerpts, “You Can’t Make Anyone _____. ”

“You Can’t Make Anyone ”

Wouldn’t it be nice to have people do what we want them to do all day long? Good luck with that. We live in a society of free will. Every day we make choices. Each person takes a path that will be filled with learning experiences for that individual.

You can’t make anyone do anything they don’t want to do. The only behavior you can control is your own. A reminder of this is watching a two-year-old or any child have a tantrum. The child will stop when ready, no matter what anyone tries to say or do to him/her. We can’t control anyone as much as we may think we can. Learn to accept people for who they are, not who you want them to be. Learn to manage your ability to respond to others and check in with yourself. Learn to step back and check your expectations.

Practice: Before you ask anyone to change his/her behavior, think about your expectations. Is the change for your benefit because it would make you more comfortable? How would you feel if someone wanted you to change your behavior?

Affirmation: I accept people for who they are in my life.

End of excerpt.

Did TD shampoo the carpet? Of course he did. Lol. TD leaves for work about 5:15 am, so I’m not usually fully awake. Did I rest well? I sure did. After I woke up I sent this text:

Hey baby, the carpet looks great. I was just exhausted. My legs and my entire body was aching. Sorry I couldn’t be of more assistance.

Keep listening.

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