Fighting the Good Fight

Even though we seek peace; I have learned that life has a lot of fighting in it. There are many kinds of fighting: fighting with somebody - this is perhaps the most common kind. Fighting for what we believe in - this is the most noble. Then, I broke the next 2 types down (which are similar): we have people in our lives who will fight beside us; unflinchingly. This is very noble and shows the very fiber true friends are made of. The next is my favorite: a person who will fight FOR you: not only will they be by our sides; they will support, defend and treat us as they would themselves. They will not allow us to wallow or act in fear, but they also won't fight our battles for us. No, they will stick with us & not allow any harm - or at least what they can deflect. To have a person like this in our life is the greatest gift of all and this person is irreplaceable. To that note - we should not only be able to do the same for them, but also cherish this person, for they hold us in such high esteem and treat us like a treasure. It's a beautiful thing to behold.

Not Missing Out On A Beautiful Day...

Today was a day that beckoned me... Beckoned me to slow down, enjoy what is around me & if I was able - play hooky!! We are having the most amazing and gorgeous stretch of weather. Today, is a gem: 80's, low humidity & sunshine! Oddly enough, Columbus Day is a holiday when I have to work. That means I would get to enjoy limited exposure to this day, but still better than none at all. I am grateful to take in what I can & return to my desk; where I am sharing with all who read my blog. It reminds to slow down and savor the moments in life. Awesome!

“A new year is a blossom with petals curled tightly, concealing the beauty within.” Shana Tova! ~ beautifully stated by Paulo Coelho

Learning Each Day

I like to learn. It's much better than thinking one knows everything & it's helpful versus not. Each day, there will no doubt be some kind of challenge; this is a fact. By learning, I can overcome more challenges each day. To me, that's huge!!

Understanding

Communication is vital to friends and lovers alike. Sometimes, that communication needs to slow down and be gentle. The facts need to be clearly laid out; then spoken about in a gentle and non-confrontational way. This is how we reach understanding. If we are too aggressive, the point gets lost and typically leads to an argument or worse. I have learned to slow down, identify what the problem is, resolve it and let it go. After these actions, it brings understanding and thereby patching the hole. Kindness is also part of understanding and further helps things get smoothed out.

Facing Fears...

I am a person who likes to think that they have little or no fear. Well, I got news for you: even though I make a valiant effort, things will still cause me to freeze, feel fear or react in an inappropriate way. Dealing with certain people; despite all of the work I've done on myself, still proves to be a challenge. Not just to stand up for myself, but to be assertive and not aggressive. Sure, they have been talking about this kind behavior for years, but I'm still learning. Although a clever way of looking at fear is: False Evidence Appearing Real; I must push though it and get to where I'm doing the right thing.
The hard part - again - is action. Instead of saying to myself what I need to/or will do; I must simply just do it. Maybe a mantra needs to be created, but I kid you not - this is crucial to me. It's so easy for me to "yes" someone & make it non-confrontational. The converse of that is to stand up for myself, not back down & show that in a no-aggressive way. It is a process and every day I am learning.

Gratitude List

This is a list of things I am grateful for - in no specific order:

myself
health
family
friends
girlfriend
children
family
sense of humor
humility
music
sunshine
the beach
the ocean
laughter
being alive
experience
learning
love
happiness
kindness
understanding
willingness
desire
passion
humility
nature
the sky (day & night)
the stars
dreams
life
each day + today
dogs, cats; animals
architecture
fashion
knowledge
actions
forgiveness
the small things
kissing
hands
feet
eyes
ears
nose
heart
sharing
unexpected things
everyone in my life...

<3 DK

Communication Breakdown: part of being in a relationship is listening, not just hearing. Then it works better. Makes a huge difference.