Looking and Seeing
When I get stressed or pulled like a wire, my expectations for others creep higher. I don’t see things the way they are, I sometimes get stuck in my head and lose track of the people around me. I sometimes forget that people don’t do things to make my life harder.
I’m learning to pay attention to when I get off like that. It usually starts with need to walk faster, faster, faster.
The minute I start to think I should run is the minute I need to walk slower. That’s the time to breathe and reconnect my heart to my head.
When I start to hide behind the work on my desk . . . when I start to climb too far into my head, I listen to music. I listen again when I start to think the world is on my shoulders. I use music to remind me that I’m not what the center. I’m not where everyone should be looking. I listen to music to remind me that sometimes I don’t see everything.
You must choose compassion over right
and the best place to start is with yourself tonight.
see the innocence in of a crying friend.
see the innocence to your guilty end
see the innocence now — the child in all of us. . . .Understand the ones you help the most
What they don’t know now accept them for who they are.
see the innocence of someone else
see the innocence to improve yourself
see the innocence now it’s not that hard to see. . . .If I had and you had one last call to make
Who would and what would you say . . .?
Why’d you take so long?
See the innocence. It’s not that hard to see. . . .— Tommy Henriksen, See the Innocence.
Sometimes I don’t listen to the music, I just think about the words.
We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
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If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.
. Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.
Thank you for this lovely post. We’re all in this together and we all co-create this world.
with lovingkindness,
susan
Hi Susan,
Welcome. Thank you for saying what you were thinking. We co-create the world in little bits by talking to each other. I so appreciate that you said the words loving kindness. Please feel them back.
You’re not a stranger anymore.
Liz
This was something I needed to read today. Thank you Liz. I think I will steal that gorgeous graphic and put it on my Good Stuff blog (or maybe both!). 🙂
Hi Polli!
Feel free to steal the graphic. I’m so glad you find the words and graphic useful. 🙂
It’s so good to see you.
You’re not a stranger. YEA!
Thanks for the challenge, Liz, which I could not resist and created at Changing the World from Ireland
Fun:-) Your turn….
Hi Ellen!
I can’t wait to see what you did!
You have a way of stirring up a pot o’ gold in us Liz!
Thanks – I had the fun of a Leprechaun in a magic forest:-) popping that post together:-)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Parrick’s Day, Ellen!
I so enjoyed that beautiful post with all of those gorgeous photos!!
I love your practice of slowing down when you catch your “early warning signs”.
You are right – the way to change the world is to start inside. Can you imagine the impact on world peace if we started with stopping the violence of stress and suffering we carry inside?
If I am calmer, I may not lash out at the check out lady in the store, who then may not scream at her husband, who then doesn’t cut off a guy with his car, that then doesn’t result in a shooting. So slowing down or remembering to breath could save a life 🙂
Hi Dave!
What a love thought you describe here! It true through and through, but most of us don’t know how to recognize when we’re feeling stressed until it’s too late.
And those who even have an idea aren’t very good at it. . . . I know I’m not.
Yea – you are right. That’s why your post is so helpful. It shows how once you are “on to yourself”, you have that trip wire that will tell you when you need to hit the slow down button. And I know I am only occasionally successful :-). It is amazing to me how challenging it is to stay focused on these things in the midst of the full frontal assault of our day. And I think every time we do, it builds up.
Hi Dave!
It’s heartening to hear that you have the same challenge. I keep saying walk slow and writing walk slow to imprint it on my brain. 🙂
Great post Liz. That is definitely a reminder I need from time to time.
Hi Shawna!
Thank you. I think it’s a reminder that we all need. I know i sure do. 🙂
Liz, your challenge to Change the World cooked in the back burner of my mind before it was ready. I’ve posted my response and here’s the link:
http://brainbasedbiz.blogspot.com/2007/03/encourage-others-talents-change-world.html
Robyn,
I read your response. Then I never came back here to say something about it. [Liz hit herself in the forehead.] What thoughtful way you have of changing the world 🙂