July

I stretch out my legs on the couch by pointing my toes as far back to my knees as I can. The muscle tension versus relaxation wakes me up and helps me think.

Man, whatever to say here? Has my blog expired, just like my rusty old journal? The truth is that I haven't been writing as much as I used to. Working as a social worker has helped me write facts-only records of my student meetings, sure. No room for my own feelings there, for a thousand reasons. I also have learned that I sometimes need a hobby or endeavor to help my emotions and endless thoughts take a break. Thus, I have been reading gorgeous novels and learning to quilt on my kitchen table. Both help those yip-yappy worries lose their energy like a little dog. (Nothing against little dogs. LOVE YOU RILEY AND SZABI! [Mostly Szabi!!!])

Well, enough of my little introduction. Writing most certainly has a place in my life-- a conclusion I knew I would reach her as soon as I started typing. 

As a school social worker enjoying her first summer off (for the most part), some thoughts have come into realization as we camp out here in beautiful mid-July. Ultimately, I have been trying to eliminate stress from my life. It's been unspoken, of course. And sometimes, for an afternoon, I can succeed in this and it's great! But then, with those "stress-free" afternoons, I finally finished a book called Emotional Agility by Susan David, which is one of those books you have to open a Word document to take notes so you can turn it back into the library before renewing for a third time. 

This is one of my notes: Pg 180 "Stress is pretty much a given if you want to do more in life than flip channels on the remote control. It is a natural and expected complement to challenge, and the learning and flourishing that comes with it." 

And another from pg. 241: "Let go of unrealistic dead people’s goals by accepting that being alive means sometimes getting hurt, failing, being stressed, and making mistakes."

Yep. Susan David, you are amazing!! So now I am trying to let go of those dead people's goals (what a phrase, right??) And now I'll end with some pictures that my mind has filed in the same place as these life lessons.