Perspective

Day 83
As I crawled into bed tonight I seriously wanted to just pull the covers over my head and cry. It has been an icky, stressful, self-deprecating, no good kind of day. I won't bore you with the details of why. Usually when I feel like I do tonight I just own my feelings and soak my pillow with tears. But tonight I forced myself to give it up. Here's how I did it.

1. I said a prayer
   
2. I sat quietly and took 30 deep breaths. 10 seconds in through the nose, and 10 seconds out the mouth- each breath.


3. I listened to my favorite song which unfailingly makes me smile.


4. I mapped out a mental chart for tomorrow. What bothered me about today? What can I do to make it better tomorrow?


5. I consciously reviewed, in detail, much harder days I've managed to get through.


6. I compared my "problems" with real problems and realized that my next step would not involve tears, or anger, or cortisol-inducing stress. It would be a very whole-hearted exercise in...
   
7. Gratitude.

Janet