Learning, reacting, and being aware

I've been working on learning lately. Pretty vague, huh?!?! Well, I have given myself no limits. Anything and everything, I am just opening myself to new things. Even re-learning things in a different way or from another perspective. The other day my 8 year old was teaching me a better way to write some cursive letters. I've also been learning to love things like bugs, sharks and (well not love but appreciate) snakes. OK, so I realize that most of this is just everyday stuff... but what I am learning in the little things is teaching me volumes about myself!!!!



REACTING..... it has always been a struggle! Either I am over-reacting or not reacting and then internalizing FOREVER! Not sure from what book or podcast I heard this in (several I think) but it really resonated with me..... You do not need to argue for the truth.... it is better to be kind than right...... Since I was a teenager I have had a sign that said, "Rule #1: Elizabeth is always right, Rule #2: if Elizabeth is wrong, see rule #1!" Funny, but sad that somewhere deep inside of me I always have needed to be right. I am not proud of this but with the new knowledge that I am not in a battle for the truth.... I feel released! I truly prefer to be kind. I was taught tolerance and compasion as a little child. Understanding where people are coming from has always been a top priority for me. The sad fact is that I had become intolerant on the inside of those who were intolerant of others because of religion, race, sexuality. What you resist, Persist!~Carl Jung / Resistance is Futile (Star Trek).... Now, what I am doing is releasing myself from the fight and choosing tolerance/ compassion. This is not saying that I am going to do nothing but instead I am choosing to focus on what IS to me and not worry so much about the other. Pretty obvious, but it is taking some work to realize that I can not seek compassion for others when I don't have it for those who feel equally just whether morally or socially. After all, we are just plotting out our own path. I love that not all of our maps are the same. They all have different starting points and destinations.

Being aware.... this one is very simple. Why did I react or not react this way? What was I feeling? What were they feeling? What was the outcome? This is keeping me from being so hard on others and myself....just being!