WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN YOU AWAKE EACH DAY? CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS -DAY 150

Do you realize how much control you actually have over your daily moods and attitudes?  I used to not believe that especially when I had a deadline looming, or a medical procedure needed for a family member, friend or myself.  I especially had a hard time grasping that concept when I had loved ones suffering from depression, other illness, financial problems, or job lay-offs.

Then somehow I learned that while I could not prevent those things from happening, I could control my attitude about how I deal with them.  I learned to do everything I can to make situations better and to accept those things I myself can not make better.  I also learned to tell myself immediately upon awakening in the morning that no matter what I am going to

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

THREE IN ONE - CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAYS 119, 120 AND 121

As you can see by the title, today I am going to catch up as I have missed posting for a couple of days. Usually when I skip something it is because I either forgot, I was sick, or I had too many medical appointments in one week.  While I did have 6 appointments last week they are not the cause of my falling behind in blogging.  Actually this week I have been preoccupied due to the death of an old friend and colleague.  Martin  lost his long, painful, valiant battle with lung cancer.  He and I were diagnosed with lung cancer about the same time, and I was so fortunate that my surgery was successful and due to early detection I did not have to have chemotherapy or radiation.  Martin was not so fortunate as by the time his cancer was discovered it had already spread.

He was younger than I, married to a wife he adored, and a wonderful father to three beautiful daughters and grandfather to an adorable little girl.  He had more faith, hope, and courage than I have ever seen, and he touched many, many lives in his lifetime.  He was a dear friend to all of us who knew him and he will be sorely missed.

The three messages I am tardy in writing are ironically so appropriate for the way Martin faced his illness, and he was an inspiration to all who knew him.

I AM BLESSED!

HEART WIDE OPEN

NO WHINING

CHANGING YOUR LIFE WITH WORDS - DAY 7

Being a control freak most of my life, one of the most difficult things for me to accept was that in reality there is not much I can control other than my attitude.  My dear mother was the consummate worrier, and at times she would actually make herself physically ill from worry.  She always expected the worst in every situation.  My dad was not a worrier but rather a "doer."  At the end of the day, I am much more like him than my mom.

When my children were young I divorced my husband.  Although I knew it was the right decision,  I soon  was scaring myself to death thinking about things that might happen to the children in the future if I could not juggle home, work, finances, and all the responsibilities of parenting.  I had to talk to myself saying that if I did not stop worrying I would end up like my mother making myself physically ill.  That would not be good for the children or me.

Some time later I read a Scripture verse (Matthew 6:34) which says, "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own."  That verse resonated with me, and I realized I was worrying about things that might never happen (and they never did).

In the past several years my family and I have experienced some challenges:

•   Three years of unemployment for one member, 
•   A collapsed lung for another,
•   A pulmonary embolism and lung cancer for me.

On days when I would slip back into my old ways of trying to figure out how I was going to fix everything, a dear friend reminded me of The Serenity Prayer.  As a recovering alcoholic with 28 years of sobriety, he credits this prayer with helping him to turn his life around so many years ago.  He still prays it daily.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Even if you are not a religious person or you do not believe in prayer, I think the common sense of that prayer is the solution to relieving much stress.  We all have to accept things we cannot change, and yet we must be strong enough to change the things we can.  The common sense part is being wise enough to know the difference.

Today's message is:

Don't Worry!