Tag: max lucado

Opinions Are Like…..Pools….

There’s one in every backyard and they’re full of…….leaves..

Life Lessons from the Pool

I had the entire pool to myself tonight doing laps, enjoying my solo aqua time- as usual, when a tall thin Chinese Olympic swimmer came in with her colorful braided hand woven chindi tote bag. As she stylishly pulled her swimming cap over her shiny dark pixie-cut hair; she placed her “eyewear” onto her delicate eyes to protect them from the savage chlorine and chemicals. I knew for sure that she was an Olympic swimmer, which is why I can confidently state- after the fact. – because she grunted every time she bobbed her head up between perfectly timed strokes.

So I did what any insecure middle age overweight person would do and stopped my pathetic slow motion strokes I had been doing (more like flabby arm belly flops) and took my pink floaty & went in the deep end and did scissors! Yes! My legs were my best quality so I’ll show her how precise my leg splits are 🏊🏅🏋. I was enjoying my dives down under until I got mixed up between the air and water locations and took a breath of water when I shouldn’t have.

As I tried to silently cough and sputter my way back to life; choking out water, chlorine and who knows what other chemicals, along with enough DNA to match 10 evidence tests; Miss Precise walked elegantly and choke-lessly into the hot tub & did a water aerobic tai chi ensemble.

Tired of my own ego- antics, I laid on my back and watched my belly float in the water as I contemplated the meaning of life. 

Who was I? 
What was my purpose?

Just the day before I had been told I’m a doormat by a co-worker. I was also told-THE VERY SAME DAY that I’m an amazing woman and an inspiration. So which do you think I focused on? Who do I Believe? Which words did I ruminate on as I lie in bed trying to sleep?

I don’t deny or discount any one persons opinion of me. They have a right to their perspective based on what they know OF me.
But I also don’t feel the need to explain my story and my struggles to someone in order to change their opinion of me.

Yet, here I am today feeling the same depreciating thoughts of not being enough as I explored in this post.

I have to remember that not everyone gets me or cares to, nor do they have the time for my shenanigans and that’s ok.
I can relish in the beautiful souls that compliment mine.

And, as Max Lucato says: 

Proverbs 16:5 says, “The Lord despises pride.” So, get over yourself!

An elementary boy came home from tryouts for the school play. “Mommy, mommy” he announced, “I got a part. I’ve been chosen to sit in the audience and clap and cheer.” When you have a chance to clap and cheer, do you take it? If you do, your head is starting to fit your hat size.

Demanding respect is like chasing a butterfly. Chase it, and you’ll never catch it. Sit still, and it may light on your shoulder. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:2, “Don’t praise yourself. Let someone else do it.” Does your self-esteem need attention? You need only pause at the base of the cross and be reminded of this: The maker of the stars would rather die for you than live without you. And that’s a fact!

From Traveling Light- Max Lucado

It’s ok to not be the star, or the Olympic swimmer. It’s ok to be Ordinary.


Life’s a balance..

Kinda like trying to float on a pink floaty and not face flop into the water 💦

Healing Much

Hɛǟʟɨռɢ ǟռɖ ƈʟɛǟռsɨռɢ

Think of the benefits and satisfaction of cleaning out your fridge, or going to the car wash.

The feeling that ‘s͙o͙m͙e͙t͙h͙i͙n͙g͙ i͙s͙ g͙e͙t͙t͙i͙n͙g͙ d͙o͙n͙e͙ a͙n͙d͙
y͙o͙u͙ a͙r͙e͙ a͙c͙t͙u͙a͙l͙l͙y͙ b͙e͙i͙n͙g͙ p͙r͙o͙d͙u͙c͙t͙i͙v͙e͙’ is so rewarding- temporarily. Until we need something else to fulfill us.

It’s all part of purpose, motivation and the reward system of the midbrain as shown here

The reward pathway (deep orange) is activated when a
person receives positive reinforcement for certain behaviors (“reward”). This area is hijacked with massive amounts of dopamine when a person takes an addictive drug.

If you want to go a bit deep here’s a great exercise from my friend Mirna Trpkova.

“The techniques for Cleansing the Energy around the Physical Mind (Body) is to this day the most Powerful Self-Perseverance Method existing. Intuitively, we all know where the Stuck (Blocked) Energy in our Body is.

A simple scan/check-in via standing or lying flat on the floor will do it.

Giving one’s Conscious Mind attention to the place in our Body which needs it most is the First and most important Move.

Not much needs be done afterwards if one wishes to proceed Passive.

What can be done, though, is borrowing from the rest of our body, and giving unconditional support to the spot which needs it most.

Doesn’t this sound as the Analogy of the more Blessed giving to the more Unfortunate thus balancing out the scale of the Yin and the Yang… Not that we are to easily tell which one is the Blessed and which to be the Unfortunate one(!).

Much of life’s fulfilment lies within the Struggle. Until one gets addicted to it.

Not an easy Addiction to let go of.

Perhaps the hardest one of all.

Going back to the initial thought which should help tie it all in a knot…

Registering the Blocked Energetic Points in our Physical Body (Mind) will allow us to have more Free-Flow Creativity which is vital for giving one’s purpose to be awaken each and every day.

And, to overcome addictions such as “living a Struggle” and feeling “Unworthy” in order to tune in to Life’s Genuine and Beyond Good and Evil ways of balancing that sacred scale we all stand on…”- Mirna Trpkova

Ah, the old “upper limit theory” from Gay Hendricks. I love that stuff. Thinking (unconsciously) that we belong in a certain situation because we don’t deserve anything better.

Matt Licata has an excellent video on how to cope when life didn’t quite go as planned as far as Health, relationships, and career. He explains how healing from these traumas will push you toward better things. If that video doesn’t work you may need to enter your email address here.