Obstacles don't have to slow you down!

Okay, so I woke early to get my day started.  I fell back asleep for only about 30 minutes.  When I woke up to begin my day...to begin with ENERGY...to work out and then catch a few Spanish Soccer Games while I worked...I woke in pain.

Seriously?  Pain?  I am finally feeling ready and focused on pumping the energy up with my first workout and I am in pain.  I have GOUT.  The top of my foot.  Forget the treadmill, I can't even stand.

Did I let this stop me from working out?

Yes!!!

Did I let this stop me from pushing on with my day?

Nope!

I took medicine and waited for relief.  As soon as I felt that I could walk, I made it to the steps.  Knowing that there was no way I could walk down the steps...I got on my butt and scootched all of the way down.  This included the two landings as well.

When I got to the bottom, I collected my energy, my positivity, my focus...and I got up.  I hobbled to the kitchen and made myself some tea.  I had three cups before I was able to stand long enough to make myself some breakfast.  I felt a little better each hour.

Now, almost 12 hours later, I am still in a bit of pain and cannot walk as well as I want to.  Steps are still painful.  I was NOT able to exercise today.  BUT...  I got work done.  I was alive.  I had energy!

From the many things I do in life, such as being a teacher, and so forth, I have learned to be flexible.  I can make changes and still achieve my goals.  So my real goal was to increase my energy...and that is exactly what I did today.

Did I work out?

NO!!!

Did I move towards energy?

Yes!

I have taken one more step! (albeit in pain today)

Peace!

Mark

Balancing Bad Luck

If you believe in bad luck.  Some don't.  Some believe that we make our own luck...that the actions that we take cause reactions and those reactions are sometimes bad.  We call that luck.  Not sure how I am feeling about that right now.

We hear sayings all of the time:

"misery loves company"

"when it rains, it pours"

"timing is everything"

"if it weren't for bad luck, I would have no luck at all"

"I have a dark cloud following me"

I am pretty sure all these sayings (and these are just a few) wouldn't exist if bad luck wasn't a regular part of luck.  The thing is...in my quest for balance...and in a way, for peace... is how we deal with the luck we are given for a given day or week, or whatever.

Balance.

How we approach a situation can determine whether or not it will get to us more than it has to.  I have watched so many people confronted with the worst of luck simply walk away from the mess and say, "oh well, there is always tomorrow."  I have often wondered if these people are nuts or have a magic answer to the disastrous days we all suffer.  I am more than certain that they actually have the answer!

What is the answer?  Not taking the bad luck seriously or personally.  Most of the time, it was just one of those things.  Sometimes it was fourteen of those things.  Things happen in life just because they happen.  It doesn't mean we made bad decisions or are being punished for something we did.  I believe in Karma, but it doesn't mean we are paying for something we did badly to someone if we are dealt a bad day.  Luck isn't out to get us.  Sometimes it just finds us and we are in the way.  I find that by acknowledging the luck as bad, noticing it as bad, and moving on is the best way to handle bad luck.  It is about balance.  Move on.  Tomorrow is another day and it can and will be better for you.

Self-fulfilling prophecy.  Not something I would recommend to anyone.  I have found that if I over react to something that has gone completely wrong and I expect more bad to happen...it does.  It is like I expect it, so I am calling the bad luck to myself.  This can easily be reversed.  Laugh at the bad luck...AND...expect something great to come out of it.  Why not?  It certainly can't hurt anything.  Meanwhile, you will be positive in spirit and in attitude and that is NOT a bad thing.

Balance.

I think this idea speaks to me in many ways.  It makes me want to simply look at the good and the positive side of everything that I possibly can.  Even if something is turning out to be a serious pain physically or emotionally...at least my positivity will get me through it feeling better about life...about myself....more balanced.

Peace.

Mark.