Daily Gratitude: I look at this as “reverse engineering”. If we don’t look at what happened in the past (even if that past is only a day ago like after a big meeting), we won’t be able to see what worked and what didn’t or what we might want to change or just improve on. Take my last race for example. If I just looked at it as “good i survived the cruddy weather and still made 120 miles which is good for me”, then I’d never have seen the changes I could make to do better in my next race or even in my next life encounter. My end of life doula certification program ends next week and I intend to do an after action (race report if you will) on it. This will help me see how I’ve grown as a person; what I did that was hard for me; what interactions and reactions need work; etc. I’ve never done this with a life situation that wasn’t a specific event. It will he revealing. Before I do it, though i have to establish criteria I want to assess. Otherwise I’ll just be swept down the river by the current writing any old thing that comes to me. Having guidelines ahead of time allows you to evaluate the key points. My life will be better not only from having taken the course but from doing this debrief. Try that for something in your life.

Daily Gratitude: Nothing could be truer. I can personally attest to this and if you know my history from 2016 and 2017 you’ll understand how I can claim to be such an expert on this. If you don’t recognize your emotions and feel them (which is different from reacting), they will just be retained in your system- first in the nervous system and then in your various organs. Look at headaches and how they get worse with stress. As a simple example, though, think about the physiological changes that happen when you have to meet someone for the first time (red face, rapid heart beat and increased respiratory rate); how about if you have to talk in front of people? Butterflies? Goosebumps? Face flushed? Shaking? Nausea? Passing out? These are all responses to an emotion (fear and/or stress). I never knew any emotion except for anger. Obviously I suppressed all the others. Each of those suppressed feelings was working inside of my body working on various organ systems. Eventually when the external stressors created an environment where there was no escape, the volcano within erupted. Several organ systems manifested their damage in a few weeks time. The disaster had occurred. Since this awakening, I have worked very hard to feel my emotions and let them be released normally instead of shoving them down inside. I have improved dramatically as has my health. Therefore I can speak with authority on this.

Daily Gratitude: I can see your eyes rolling, wondering how I could possibly think that the misery you’re experiencing could be called sacred. They are messages trying to get your attention. If you don’t attend to that message, they will persist like little kids that want something and won’t leave you alone until they get it. This is what happened to me as I’ve talked about so often here. I had all these various symptoms all my life but just ignored them. Then in 2016 it all began to bubble up (my internal volcano). By 2017, my internal issues collided with external circumstances (which were completely out of my control) and that’s all it took. 3 months later after 5 weeks of hospitalization (3 separate times) I finally got the message. Now I pay attention to any and all symptoms. I can’t always tell what they are saying but I know it’s some call for me to “go inside” and check my parts (internal family systems- parts work). Take a look at the book I recommended yesterday (‘The Secret Language of the Body’).