A Joyous Perspective on Remaining Cool: In a Microwavable world

It's Friday, and time for another Friday Night Thought Tale Hour with the Hendersons. My week began with the sense that I had a great deal to get accomplished and not enough hours in the day to make that happen. As I considered my daily yoga practice on Monday, I knew immediately that I needed to let go of anxiety. I was anxious over deadlines, responsibilities, and new commitments that are necessary to be addressed. There was no way to avoid or even delegate most of the list. And the truth was, I didn't want to give it up. It was all stuff I had been building toward and desiring to come to pass in my life. I had wanted all of it. 

And now it was time to put up or shut up.

If only I could do it at my pace, and not the pace set by the world around me. Have you ever felt like you've been thrown into a microwave on high? Only 3 minutes till done... But you need at least 30... Hell, you'd prefer the slow cooker. Life doesn't always give us our choice of time to be ready, does it? So I thought I would share some perspectives from my week, and what I've learned that I'll take along the journey.

When fear and anxiety arises, you want to lean away but -

These are emotions you probably might consider leaning into.

These feelings are like a strong wind or burst of water that comes flying at you when they appear. Think about what happens if you allow that gust or gush to knock you back by leaning away. You fall flat and get wiped out, literally. When you lean in, put your head down and mow forward, you roll through the tidal wave or microburst that much faster. You get through it rather than it getting through you. So my first lesson is:

1) Lean into your fear. Go out to your edges. The place where your limits live is the place where you'll find the most growth.

It is true that if you fail to plan, you'll plan to fail -

Losing sleep or value time being present due to anxiety over tomorrow is another sure method to prevent you from being ready and executing on your strategy. Consider how often your mind goes to some upcoming item on your agenda that you are anxious over. Isn't it true that these times seem to happen right when you are relaxing or enjoying time with another person or event? Such a waste of precious restorative time which will undoubtedly be needed when you reach that event! Here is the next lesson:

2) If you have done all that you can to prepare, then accept that the rest is out of your hands. Remember, today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday.

Having goals is great, and setting up timelines is terrific but -

It would be wonderful if we were always in complete control of

meeting deadlines and mastering a goal, but we just are not. Indeed, sometimes goals are the very motivation that keeps us on task and meeting objectives necessary to eventually meet that goal, but everything doesn't always fall into place like a puzzle. It is during these times that anxiety can creep in, and even start to make the goal seem impossible. And then we give up, when really all we need is a little patience, with ourselves and others. So here's lesson three:

3) Patience is the calm acceptance that things don't have to happen in the order you have in mind.

Knowing what you want and that you have earned, it is a point of personal prowess but -

You can't always get what you want. Even more than that, you probably shouldn't. It makes one spoiled and unappreciative of those unexpected and unearned gifts that come along in our lives. There will be times that the waiting (which truly is the hardest part, thank you Tom Petty) will pay off. That takes maturity and emotional intelligence. And then, there will be times that your clenched fists just need to be loosened, and you need to release what you thought you needed. That takes quiet and determined inner strength. So my last lesson:

4) Be strong enough to let go and smart enough to wait for what you deserve. 

Don't be surprised how quickly the universe will move with you once you have decided to trust.

So tonight, Chris and I will be toasting to today and how very grateful we are for all that we have. Right now, right here. We're drinking a martini called "Cool as a Cucumber," celebrating making to the Friday finish line. Here's to being in charge of the cooking time, no matter the method. Cheers!

Joy's Cool as a Cucumber Martini**

2 oz cucumber vodka (I used Effen)

1 oz triple sec

1 lime, freshly squeezed

1cup ice

2 cucumber slices for garnish

Place all in a shaker with ice. Shake hard and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with Cucumber. 

**Always drink responsibly.