It's funny how just last night I was thinking it had been a while since I had been inspired to write. Then something happened this morning that really forced me to sit and think, whilst calming myself down. I won't go into any detail about what happened to trigger me, but I felt so angry. It's been a while since I felt like that, I've actually been pretty chilled out for the past few weeks but sometimes it just takes one thing to change it all.
As I was walking home this morning, I got to thinking about how often I, as many of us do - act out of emotion. I know that when I feel angry, I am tempted to make rash decisions. I say that I will walk away, i've had enough, or as they say ALL the time in 'Real Housewives of Orange County' (feel free to judge me) 'I't's over, and I'm done.' I get ready to pack it all in, in that moment of anger - rather than take a step back and ride the wave. You see, there's nothing wrong with feeling these types of emotion. They are human and part of everyday life but the problem comes in what we do with them. How well do we know ourselves when it comes to calming down?
I can think of many a time where I have been tempted to act based on what i'm feeling in the moment. When I was in the last few months of my degree, I came incredibly close to walking away. I was so overwhelmed by everything; by the work load, the deadlines, the stress in my home, the effect it was having on my health - that it just all became too much. Somehow, I found the energy to finish it and I'm so pleased I did. I've had work experiences, friendships and other scenarios where i've just wanted to walk away from it rather than deal with it. Walking away in the here and now may be helpful short-term but what about in the long run? We often don't stop to consider that. I do think that this generation has a lot of trouble with commitment - I don't mean that to be an excuse but if you look at the way things are; there isn't always a lot to encourage faithfulness and loyalty in today's society. It's easier to walk away based on how I feel today than to take the time to figure things out and act more rationally, isn't it?
What I am referencing here, is acting out of negative emotion. Now, the Bible talks a lot about this, and how our lives as Christians, should go against the tide. If I am acting out of anger, annoyance, selfishness, jealousy; am I portraying anything 'different?' No. Yet I so often find myself knocking others down rather than building them up, in the heat of the moment I find only bad things that have happened and in reality that is not helping anyone's situation. I am sharing these things because I want to change. I don't want to be bitter or angry and even when I am - I don't want to tell the whole world. I want to have more self control than that! I want to build people up, bring peace, restoration, happiness, graciousness, faithfulness, joy, strength, light, change, positivity and love. I want to stand for something different that revitalises my environment and I know that at the moment, I am not doing that. I'm not saying this for sympathy or as a way for those who know me to big me up - I know that I am messing up and I no longer want to accept that! I want to be humble and honest, to show that I fail so often and fall short of the person I feel I should be.
As I was walking home this morning, I got to thinking about how often I, as many of us do - act out of emotion. I know that when I feel angry, I am tempted to make rash decisions. I say that I will walk away, i've had enough, or as they say ALL the time in 'Real Housewives of Orange County' (feel free to judge me) 'I't's over, and I'm done.' I get ready to pack it all in, in that moment of anger - rather than take a step back and ride the wave. You see, there's nothing wrong with feeling these types of emotion. They are human and part of everyday life but the problem comes in what we do with them. How well do we know ourselves when it comes to calming down?
I can think of many a time where I have been tempted to act based on what i'm feeling in the moment. When I was in the last few months of my degree, I came incredibly close to walking away. I was so overwhelmed by everything; by the work load, the deadlines, the stress in my home, the effect it was having on my health - that it just all became too much. Somehow, I found the energy to finish it and I'm so pleased I did. I've had work experiences, friendships and other scenarios where i've just wanted to walk away from it rather than deal with it. Walking away in the here and now may be helpful short-term but what about in the long run? We often don't stop to consider that. I do think that this generation has a lot of trouble with commitment - I don't mean that to be an excuse but if you look at the way things are; there isn't always a lot to encourage faithfulness and loyalty in today's society. It's easier to walk away based on how I feel today than to take the time to figure things out and act more rationally, isn't it?
What I am referencing here, is acting out of negative emotion. Now, the Bible talks a lot about this, and how our lives as Christians, should go against the tide. If I am acting out of anger, annoyance, selfishness, jealousy; am I portraying anything 'different?' No. Yet I so often find myself knocking others down rather than building them up, in the heat of the moment I find only bad things that have happened and in reality that is not helping anyone's situation. I am sharing these things because I want to change. I don't want to be bitter or angry and even when I am - I don't want to tell the whole world. I want to have more self control than that! I want to build people up, bring peace, restoration, happiness, graciousness, faithfulness, joy, strength, light, change, positivity and love. I want to stand for something different that revitalises my environment and I know that at the moment, I am not doing that. I'm not saying this for sympathy or as a way for those who know me to big me up - I know that I am messing up and I no longer want to accept that! I want to be humble and honest, to show that I fail so often and fall short of the person I feel I should be.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever isright, whatever is pure, whatever islovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
The phrase 'a little vanilla goes a long way' truly came into play with this as my belovéd Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract saved the day. I threw in frozen berries; strawberries, blackcurrants and raspberries, milk, ice, vanilla, a little sweetener and some mango & papaya juice as it tasted a little bitter with the unsweetened berries. Plus there's just something about drinking through paper straws that makes the world seem a better place.
If you need to relax, de-stress, take some time out - think about something you love doing and make time to do it rather than stewing on the problem. It's much better to do something constructive to get out of the bad mood you're in! Now, I feel much calmer and ready to face the rest of today, whilst getting in some of my '5 a day!'
If you need to relax, de-stress, take some time out - think about something you love doing and make time to do it rather than stewing on the problem. It's much better to do something constructive to get out of the bad mood you're in! Now, I feel much calmer and ready to face the rest of today, whilst getting in some of my '5 a day!'
Much Love xxx