Comments on: Be Kind to Yourself and Other Advice I Don’t Always Take http://karasjoblom.com/be-kind-to-yourself-and-other-advice-i-dont-always-take/ Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:40:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lauralie Lee Ezra http://karasjoblom.com/be-kind-to-yourself-and-other-advice-i-dont-always-take/comment-page-1/#comment-246 Lauralie Lee Ezra Fri, 17 Dec 2010 05:42:10 +0000 http://karasjoblom.com/?p=288#comment-246 Thank you for this. Some days I feel so annoyed at what I didn't accomplish. I have moments where that list overtakes me. Then, out of no where I'm completely behind. How can I be behind on something that never existed? Losing a pound, eating this not that, blogging or not...all in a days work. I too feel oft times annoyed at those things that didn't happen and forget the little wins. Thanks for reminding me that sometimes this happens to everyone. Sometimes, it's ok to let it all just 'suck', but mostly, I should appreciate and breathe. Sighhhhhhh Cheers! LLE Thank you for this. Some days I feel so annoyed at what I didn’t accomplish. I have moments where that list overtakes me. Then, out of no where I’m completely behind. How can I be behind on something that never existed? Losing a pound, eating this not that, blogging or not…all in a days work. I too feel oft times annoyed at those things that didn’t happen and forget the little wins. Thanks for reminding me that sometimes this happens to everyone. Sometimes, it’s ok to let it all just ‘suck’, but mostly, I should appreciate and breathe.

Sighhhhhhh

Cheers!

LLE

]]> By: Margot http://karasjoblom.com/be-kind-to-yourself-and-other-advice-i-dont-always-take/comment-page-1/#comment-87 Margot Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:23:14 +0000 http://karasjoblom.com/?p=288#comment-87 Point 1: Remember the Magie Diet? * There is no such thing as FORBIDDEN FOOD. Food is not bad for you. * There is no such thing as “CHEATING.” This is not a test. * Eating something sugary or fattening or unhealthy does not make you a BAD PERSON (or naughty or weak or any of those things). This is not a moral issue. * Falling off your diet is not a catastrophe. There is always tomorrow. Or the next day. (I just made that one up.) Some days when my diet is going really badly, I just say, "The hell with it!" and pig out. And enjoy it. Then I start over. Point 3: It *always* gets better in one fashion or another. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be able to live, I think. The worst experiences of my life have led to the best and I wouldn't change anything. Bad times are a real learning experience for those that are paying attention. Point 4: Funny. I was just thinking that the other night. Yes, I'm sorry for people whose lives are bad beyond my conception, but that doesn't make my allergy feel any better. Here's what I do when I have an important, nay, life-changing decision to make: Should I try to stay in England or should I go back to the States? Should we give up two good jobs in England and try to start over in France? I imagine what the worst outcome could be -- and could I live with it? England. I detest my current working conditions and my boss. Should I quit and stay in England or go back to the States? What's the worst that could happen? If I quit there is the likely possibility that no company will go to the bother of getting me another work permit. I will run out of money and lose my house. Well, I'm sure I could find one person in the States who would advance me a plane ticket. Once I got back to the States, I would have no problem getting a job. Could I live with that? Yes. In fact, any number of companies, as it turned out, were willing to apply for a work permit and I got a job. And then I started jogging, for my weight and something to do. And in the jogging club I met Nick. And in April we celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary. Even things over which I have no control have worked out. I learned something. My life conditions changed to send me off in new -- and better -- directions. My career (high-flying tech type), my marriage and my generally great life have all been influenced by the worst events in my life. I must the the eternal optimist. Point 1: Remember the Magie Diet?
* There is no such thing as FORBIDDEN FOOD. Food is not bad for you.
* There is no such thing as “CHEATING.” This is not a test.
* Eating something sugary or fattening or unhealthy does not make you a BAD PERSON (or naughty or weak or any of those things). This is not a moral issue.
* Falling off your diet is not a catastrophe. There is always tomorrow. Or the next day. (I just made that one up.)
Some days when my diet is going really badly, I just say, “The hell with it!” and pig out. And enjoy it. Then I start over.

Point 3: It *always* gets better in one fashion or another. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t be able to live, I think. The worst experiences of my life have led to the best and I wouldn’t change anything. Bad times are a real learning experience for those that are paying attention.

Point 4: Funny. I was just thinking that the other night. Yes, I’m sorry for people whose lives are bad beyond my conception, but that doesn’t make my allergy feel any better.

Here’s what I do when I have an important, nay, life-changing decision to make: Should I try to stay in England or should I go back to the States? Should we give up two good jobs in England and try to start over in France?

I imagine what the worst outcome could be — and could I live with it?

England. I detest my current working conditions and my boss. Should I quit and stay in England or go back to the States? What’s the worst that could happen? If I quit there is the likely possibility that no company will go to the bother of getting me another work permit. I will run out of money and lose my house. Well, I’m sure I could find one person in the States who would advance me a plane ticket. Once I got back to the States, I would have no problem getting a job. Could I live with that? Yes. In fact, any number of companies, as it turned out, were willing to apply for a work permit and I got a job. And then I started jogging, for my weight and something to do. And in the jogging club I met Nick. And in April we celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary.

Even things over which I have no control have worked out. I learned something. My life conditions changed to send me off in new — and better — directions.

My career (high-flying tech type), my marriage and my generally great life have all been influenced by the worst events in my life. I must the the eternal optimist.

]]> By: Mary Ellen http://karasjoblom.com/be-kind-to-yourself-and-other-advice-i-dont-always-take/comment-page-1/#comment-86 Mary Ellen Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:52:40 +0000 http://karasjoblom.com/?p=288#comment-86 Not sure you want even more to read, but I do own a copy of the Happiness Project book, if you want to borrow it. It's pretty light stuff, and a little more focused than the blog. Not sure you want even more to read, but I do own a copy of the Happiness Project book, if you want to borrow it. It’s pretty light stuff, and a little more focused than the blog.

]]> By: Kara http://karasjoblom.com/be-kind-to-yourself-and-other-advice-i-dont-always-take/comment-page-1/#comment-85 Kara Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:41:34 +0000 http://karasjoblom.com/?p=288#comment-85 I agree totally, Mary Ellen. And I LOVE the Happiness Project website! Thank you so much for sharing it - I wasn't familiar with it. I see I have a lot of reading to do now. I agree totally, Mary Ellen. And I LOVE the Happiness Project website! Thank you so much for sharing it – I wasn’t familiar with it. I see I have a lot of reading to do now.

]]> By: Mary Ellen http://karasjoblom.com/be-kind-to-yourself-and-other-advice-i-dont-always-take/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Mary Ellen Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:33:52 +0000 http://karasjoblom.com/?p=288#comment-84 I'd like to comment on your last point that "Knowing that someone has it worse doesn't make your pain go away." It's true that knowing that I'm not living in Haiti right now would <b>not</b> make me feel better about any difficult situation that I happened to be facing. But I can say from experience, that when a rich, powerful person gets caught doing something absolutely ridiculous and hypocritical, and as a result has to retire from public life.... somehow it makes it a lot easier to get up in the morning; when someone has it so good and messes up that bad, my tiny errors and problems seem a lot more forgivable. Do you follow the Happiness Project? Similar story line. http://www.happiness-project.com/ I’d like to comment on your last point that “Knowing that someone has it worse doesn’t make your pain go away.” It’s true that knowing that I’m not living in Haiti right now would not make me feel better about any difficult situation that I happened to be facing. But I can say from experience, that when a rich, powerful person gets caught doing something absolutely ridiculous and hypocritical, and as a result has to retire from public life…. somehow it makes it a lot easier to get up in the morning; when someone has it so good and messes up that bad, my tiny errors and problems seem a lot more forgivable.

Do you follow the Happiness Project? Similar story line. http://www.happiness-project.com/

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