You know that moment when you pull up on the tub lever informing the shower system to stop pumping water out of the faucet and instead redirect it to the shower head? This morning I thought nothing of that very action, until a moment later when I had my head under the streaming shower head, and heard my dog barking. The barking triggered a reaction in me, instead of staying under the delightfully warm water, I turned the other lever and abruptly ended my shower before any lather, rinse and repeat could begin.
You see just like I indicated to the shower that I wanted a shower and not a bath by pulling on that lever, my dog was telling me something. He was saying, "hey, I'm ready to poop now", and the part that made me feel a bit disgruntled was about the context. The inner voice in my head started screaming, "I need to leave in the next 30 minutes. We've already had a walk, and then while my breakfast was hot, you rang the bell, so we waited outside while you spun in your spot 3xs, and then decided, oh wait, I guess I'm not ready to poop yet". Given that it was 6:30 in the morning, I had already been outside with the dog 2xs, and now my hair was wet, and it is very cold outside...I was a little irritated. Wait lets get real here, I was pissed.
Thankfully my husband also heard the bark, and came to our rescue, taking the dog outside, and sending me back to the shower. So why am I telling you all of this? Well, here's what I thought as I pulled up that lever a second time. Things change, they do, it's inevitable, and there is not always going to be someone who can rescue you from your own irritation. Our plans often don't work out. I've written before about how important it is to grieve lost dreams, or planned for hopes that will never be but I haven't talked about that momentary choice that needs to happen to rescue yourself. That choice to go on. To pull that internal lever, and tell yourself just one more time This will not beat me. I can get through this medical diagnosis, heart ache, child's tantrum, job loss, etc. Because in the moment action is still needed, and when I say action I really mean HOPE. You can be that hope for yourself.
So today as you struggle with the unexpected hardship you face, take a moment and pull on your lever. Redirect your thoughts to hope and the possibility of good in your life. Yes, this is not what you expected or want, but it doesn't have to beat you. Rescue yourself to whatever extent is possible at this time. Choose to go on.
You see just like I indicated to the shower that I wanted a shower and not a bath by pulling on that lever, my dog was telling me something. He was saying, "hey, I'm ready to poop now", and the part that made me feel a bit disgruntled was about the context. The inner voice in my head started screaming, "I need to leave in the next 30 minutes. We've already had a walk, and then while my breakfast was hot, you rang the bell, so we waited outside while you spun in your spot 3xs, and then decided, oh wait, I guess I'm not ready to poop yet". Given that it was 6:30 in the morning, I had already been outside with the dog 2xs, and now my hair was wet, and it is very cold outside...I was a little irritated. Wait lets get real here, I was pissed.
Thankfully my husband also heard the bark, and came to our rescue, taking the dog outside, and sending me back to the shower. So why am I telling you all of this? Well, here's what I thought as I pulled up that lever a second time. Things change, they do, it's inevitable, and there is not always going to be someone who can rescue you from your own irritation. Our plans often don't work out. I've written before about how important it is to grieve lost dreams, or planned for hopes that will never be but I haven't talked about that momentary choice that needs to happen to rescue yourself. That choice to go on. To pull that internal lever, and tell yourself just one more time This will not beat me. I can get through this medical diagnosis, heart ache, child's tantrum, job loss, etc. Because in the moment action is still needed, and when I say action I really mean HOPE. You can be that hope for yourself.
So today as you struggle with the unexpected hardship you face, take a moment and pull on your lever. Redirect your thoughts to hope and the possibility of good in your life. Yes, this is not what you expected or want, but it doesn't have to beat you. Rescue yourself to whatever extent is possible at this time. Choose to go on.
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