Chalk It Up

I bought a new nightgown tonight. So obviously I can't go to bed until it's clean and I can wear it to Dreamland. To kill the time I redid my chalk board. Poured some water onto some dirty laundry and scrubbed that thing till it was a clean slate. Then it was time to create again. Gosh I love that.

Everything on the board is a  lesson that I've learned/am learning/want to learn.

*The key to success is learning to be comfortable with discomfort.

I learned this one in the month of June while I rigorously endeavored to shift my work performance from the mediocre ----> poor range, to FREAKING exceptional. I don't ever go into work now, thinking it's going to be an easy day. I look at every single task as an achievable obstacle, one I really have to stretch for. "There's no growth in a comfort zone and there's no comfort in a growth zone."

*The phrase "I can't live without him" is TOTAL BS. You may not be as happy for a time, but gosh dangit you'll survive!" (This of course does not apply to us and Jesus, or to sweet old couples that have been together since dinosaurs roamed the earth.)

Literality is not a bad thing. It's actually quite healthy to use precise language. 

*You would never call another human "fat, ugly, unloveable, crazy, retarded," so why would you say that to yourself?

Learning to be my own friend is something I'm still working on. If I treated my friends the way I treat myself sometimes, not only would I be friendless, but someone would probs have already busted a cap in my face. An extra bonus is that once we're able to love and care for ourselves, our capacity to do so for others increases exponentially.

*All you really HAVE to do is keep breathing. Everything else is your choice.

Had this concept introduced to me in group this week. If I really wanted to, I could literally sit still all day, not eat, poop my pants, do NADA. Yes, there would be huge consequences, but I really don't HAVE to do anything. When I do something besides survive, it's my choice and I should treat is as such. Why would I grumble and have cheese and whine about something I chose??

*Someone's watching over you.

I've always known this one. But it gets reintroduced to me every single day.

*According to your faith, you will be made whole.

It's all over the scriptures, so it must apply to me.

*That's the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.

See "The Fault in Our Stars" for further explanation.

*God will give you more than you can bear. He'll give you enough tribulation so that letting Him bear it will be your only option.

This concept, gleaned from a truly inspired blog post, revolutionized the way I look at trials.