Thursday, January 8, 2009

Hush that Fuss

The game is on. Hasn't all of America stopped to watch Tom Tebow lead the Florida Gators in the BCS Championship Game? No?

I don't love watching football on TV. The rivalry in it all has never interested me. In fact it's rather funny to me that I am actually a UF alumni. I moved to Tallahassee right after college and lived among the Seminoles for 21 years which pretty much made me one. Though we don't live there anymore, we've been sending mega money to FSU for the last number of years so I have a real investment in FSU now. I do really like Tebow and so I'm pulling for the Gators. However, the outcome won't determine my mood tomorrow.

I've been working on mood regulation. Though my nature is to be optimistic, I tend to be up, down and all around when it comes to my feelings. So my confession this week is a little song I heard a long time ago: "Don't be moved by what you see, don't be moved by what you feel, but call those things that be not as though they were."

I would go so far as to say that my primary resolution is to make my words be nuggets of encouragement and hope.

Guess who I talk the worst to? Myself. I find it much easier to kind and forgiving to others than toward myself.

I listened to a tele-seminar this week titled "Smart Women, Smart Solutions" with Joy Chudacoff. One tip she gave for staying motivated and encouraged is to read your "Rave Reviews" when you need a lift. I knew exactly what she was referring to, as years ago I started a file folder titled "Warm Fuzzy File". I put notes and cards in there that I've received that have been really encouraging. I still have it but I got out of the habit of using it.

I've been thinking that I need to start an online file of blog comments that have been especially meaningful. What a great resource! I'm pretty sure we all need to find ways to encourage ourselves. We can freely give away that which we have received ourselves. So if you overhear my thoughts and I'm ragging on myself, remind me to hush that fuss! I'll do the same for you. ; )

8 comments:

Kelly said...

Hey, I have a file like that. I call it the "yay me!" file. When I'm feeling LOSERish, I pull out the file and read all the nice things friends, co-workers and employers have said about me. Awww, I feel better.

I never thought about blog comments. Great idea! Yippee. Or should I say "Yay me!" (or Yay you!)

Edie said...

What a cool idea. I never thought about a file like that before. I'll have to work on that.

Greg C said...

I also have a Yea Me file and a Yea Me email file. I take the yea me's however I get them. I don't get a lot of them so I need to save what I have. It's not that I dont' do a great job at what I do, it is that this industry expects that and they don't give out attaboys freely. I know a co-worker who came up with a solution to a huge problem in the company. His solution saved the company millions of dollars and he was given a 50 dollar Walmart gift card, Whoo hooo. Neadless to say he was a little letdown.

Krista said...

a warm fuzzy file! what a great idea! why have I never thought of this before? I'm just getting set to create a whole filing system for my new adventure in freelance writing, I just might add one more folder in the back there for warm fuzzies! thanks for the tip!

Merrie said...

GREAT! I sure needed that today. I have the same tendency to be hard on myself and downgrade "me"... I used to think it was humility. Now I know it is self hate and it is a sin. I do try harder to encourage myself in the Lord and forgive me. It sure makes it easier to forgive others too!

Fuschia said...

Rave Reviews...love that!
Maybe they should include what our Father has to say about us.

If I start a blog comment file I'll be sure to include several from you! Just wanted you to know ;)

Spring M Fricks said...

what an awesome idea! I love it. I never thought about doing that but it sure would be nice to have for days when rejection slips come in.

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I write "love letters" every Friday and every Monday is another series called "Mary's Journal". I post on Wed too but it's left open for random things. I hope to see you back and I'll be sure to stop by too.

Anonymous said...

I have a file like this of emails from photography clients. When I feel like I'm the worst photographer on earth, I pull them out and try to regain my vision. It's a precious gift.