Encouraging Words November 2002
Welcome to Encouraging Words monthly newsletter. This FREE
newsletter is designed to encourage you in creating a life
so joyful and authentic, you radiate. Please pass it along
to friends you would like to inspire
The greatest power is often simple patience.--E. Joseph
Cossman
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
How did your evaluation go last month? Did you find a new
direction and purpose?
THE GIFTS OF WAITING
Standing in line, waiting for the doctor, sitting in traffic
do not sound like presents, but if we look closely at them
we can see the gifts that waiting gives to us.
The Gift of Downtime
We complain that we have no downtime, but every time we
wait in a line is an opportunity to slow down for a little
while, to take a breather. No one is expecting anything
from you at the moment. Often though, we are not relaxed
in line. We complain, look at our watch, and think nasty
thoughts about the people ahead of us in line. We have no
control over how fast the line will move or traffic will
go.
The great thing is-we do control our attitude. We can make
waiting a time of rest or a waste of time just by what we
concentrate on.
Anna C. Brackett wrote about waiting in her book The Technique
of Rest in 1892. "When you are waiting for a train, don't
keep perpetually looking to see if it is coming. The time
of its arrival is the business of the conductor, not yours.
It will not come any sooner for all your nervous glances
and your impatient pacing, and you will save strength if
you will keep quiet. After we discover that the people who
sit still on a long railroad journey reach that journey's
end at precisely the same time as those who "fuss" continually,
we have a valuable piece of information which we should
not fail to put to practical use."
In line you can daydream. Visualize your goals. Picture
a vacation. Let your mind wander. Pray. Or just breathe
awhile.
The Gift of Patience
In our fast-paced society we all need a little practice
in patience. Everyone is in such a hurry and no one is willing
to wait for anything. Fast food, ATM’s, and the microwave
provide things faster than ever and we don’t even want to
wait for them.
One definition of patience is: Accepting a difficult situation
without giving a deadline to remove it. If we practice patience
in little things like being on hold, maybe we can be more
patient waiting for our dreams to fall into place.
In order to be more patient in waiting times, it helps
to leave early. It’s easier to wait if you are not going
to be late. Leaving 10 minutes early for everything gives
you the extra time in case something comes up. And something
always comes up.
No greater thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch
of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig,
I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom,
then bear fruit, then ripen.--Epictetus
The Gift of the Present Moment
The grocery store line was huge right before dinner. People
all around me were complaining about not having time for
this and I was starting to get annoyed. My 10-year old son
was with me. He started talking and we had a whole conversation
where I was able to concentrate solely on him. I had nothing
else to do since I was waiting in a line. I felt so connected
to my son at that moment, I was almost sorry when we got
to the checkout counter.
Sometimes we can be in such a hurry to get where we want
to be, that we forget how wonderful here is. Next time you
are waiting, take a look around. There is always something
interesting to look at or discover- paintings, fascinating
people, things to read, or animals.
With kids, it seems I am waiting for hours a day. Children
dawdle because they are so connected to the world around
them. As adults in a hurry, we often miss what they see.
If we slow down we can get that childlike spark back. Waiting
is the perfect time to notice life.
Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to
succeed.--Coreta Kent
The Gift of Compassion and Humility
In waiting we are always dealing with other people. What
we think of those whom we are waiting behind is rarely compassionate.
We need to change our attitude. You know the one- what we
have to do is more important than what anyone else has to
do. Road rage is an example -driving like a maniac, cutting
people off, risking other drivers because where we are going
is more “important” then where someone else is going. Being
perpetually in a hurry and annoyed at being kept waiting
is a sign that we are doing more than we need to. That’s
the time to start cutting things out of our to do list.
I love people watching.
Standing in line at the bank I see a young woman with her
3-yr-old as she tries desperately to hold on to everything.
I ask if I can hold something and she thankfully gives me
her bag. When you look around you with compassion you are
in a position to help others. Plus, you will feel great
afterwards and the wait won’t seem as long.
You also meet captivating people while waiting. Talking
with others keeps you both from being fed up and you never
know what you will learn. I got some fantastic Christmas
gift ideas yesterday at the grocery store from the lady
next to me.
Humility is attentive patience.--Simone Weil It is in the
small moments of life that we show who we are. How do you
want to wait?
Take Action:
1.Decide from now on when you have to wait you will be
in control of your attitude.
2.Be patient with yourself when you find yourself acting
out of impatience.
3.Change your thinking the minute you start feeling impatient.
4. Be patient with those around you and look for ways to
help others.
5. Drive the speed limit and sing in the car when you get
stuck in traffic.
6. Leave 10 minutes early for everything.
If you need help coming up with an action plan, e-mail
me for a free e-coaching session at dargis@chartermi.net.
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Self-Care Tips for November:
· Remind yourself of what you like to play and do one thing
this week
· Unclutter a closet and give away those clothes that don’t
make you feel great
· Do something creative like cooking, painting or home
decorating
· When you want to buy something on impulse, put it back
and see if you still want to buy it in a week.
"If you don't enjoy getting up and working and finishing
your work and sitting down to a meal with family or friends,
then the chances are you're not going to be happy. If someone
bases his or her happiness or unhappiness on major events
like a great new job, huge amounts of money, a flawlessly
happy marriage or a trip to Paris, that person isn't going
to be happy much of the time. If, on the other hand, happiness
depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink
or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit
of happiness." --Andy Rooney
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
Relationship Ideas for November:
· Have a fall clean-up day with your family-raking, trimming
and ending with hot cider
· Have a conversation with someone important to you, concentrating
solely on them
· Help one person in need
· Make soup for a sick friend
"The cynic says, "One person can't do anything." I
say, "Only one person can do anything." One person interacting
creatively with others can move the world." --John
W. Gardner
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
My new simplicity e-course begins Nov. 1. For more information
and chance to sign up visit: Simplicity E-course
Don’t forget to check out this week’s tiny
change on junk drawers: and the
Question of the Week
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
I encourage you this month to live enthusiastically, to
encourage those around you and to think positively.
Coach Beth
Written by life coach,
Beth Dargis
http://pws.chartermi.net/~dargis/
Past issues are available at the newsletter section of
the website.
Copyright (c) 2002 Beth Dargis, Zeeland, Michigan. All
rights reserved.
Feel free to use these articles on your website as long
as the footer is included. Permission is granted to reproduce,
copy or distribute this e- letter so long as this copyright
notice and full information attributing Beth Dargis is attached.
Subscribers can unsubscribe from this list via email simply
by sending a BLANK email to: encouragingwords-unsubscribe@topica.com
Copyright
© 2002 Beth Dargis
| Zeeland, MI |
All rights reserved.
