Uplifting Words
Right Now, Somebody, Somewhere | Steps to Happiness | The Joy Box | The Water Bearer | What is Strength
Right Now, Somebody, Somewhere
Somebody is thinking of you.
Somebody is caring about you.
Somebody is very proud of you.
Somebody misses you.
Somebody wants to talk to you.
Somebody wants to be with you.
Somebody hopes you are not in trouble.
Somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
Somebody wants to hold your hand.
Somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
Somebody wants you to be happy.
Somebody wants you to find him/her.
Somebody wants to give you a gift.
Somebody thinks you ARE a gift.
Somebody admires your strength.
Somebody wants to give you a hug.
Somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
Somebody wants to protect you.
Somebody can’t wait to see you.
Somebody loves you for who you are.
Somebody treasures your spirit.
Somebody is glad that you are their friend.
Somebody wants to get to know you better.
Somebody wants to be near you.
Somebody wants you to know they are there for you.
Somebody wants to share their dreams with you.
Somebody is alive because of you.
Somebody needs your support.
Somebody will cry when they read this.
Somebody needs you to have faith in them.
Somebody trusts you.
Somebody hears a song that reminds them of you.
Somebody would do anything for you.
Postscript: Reading the above may bring many “somebodies” to mind—friends and family who have helped you, and those whom you have helped. But if you’re feeling particularly isolated or sick today, you may not know right now who those somebodies or somebody might be. Rest assured that, for each of us, there IS a somebody thinking of us and wishing us well—even if you don’t know at this moment who that somebody is.
(Source: Several Internet newsletters; author unknown)
Steps to Happiness
Everybody Knows:
You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all things at once.
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.
So:
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others, because no one else is in the contest of being you.
Then:
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most vital mortal.
Dare To Believe:
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it’s more than a right, it’s your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.
The Joy Box
A Project for Those Non-Day Days
Something to prepare for those days when you’re feeling especially sick or blue is your own personal “joy box.” Take a large old shoe-box or other container and wrap it (and the lid separately) in brightly colored paper or whatever pleases you (stickers, rubber-stamp images, decoupage, paint, glitter glues, clips from magazines, photos of places you’d like. to travel, etc.).
Fill the box only with items that bring joy to you: seashells, photos of your family and best friends, pictures of favorite places, treasured letters and notes from friends, small toys, anything that uplifts your spirit—be creative and fill the box! Then, when you’re having a particularly rough day, close your eyes and reach into the box (shake first!) to see which particular joy you’ve selected. Spend time letting your mind wander about what the “joy item” brings to mind—take a mental vacation and relax, thinking about dear friends, happy memories, favorite places, the joys you still have in your life.
(Idea adapted from Gypsy’s Words of Wisdom Online Newsletter)
The Water Bearer
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on one end of a pole which he slung across the back of his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk home from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.
For a full two years this went on daily, with the water bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I must apologize to you,” it said. “Why?” asked the water bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”
“I have long been able to deliver only half my load, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house,” the pot answered. “Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts.”
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion and wisdom said, “As we return to the master’s house today, I want you to notice something: the beautiful flowers along the way.”
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of how the sun warmed scores of beautiful wildflowers on the side of the path, and this vision cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, the pot still felt bad about its “disability”—because once again it had leaked out half its load—and thus once again it apologized to the water bearer for its perceived failings.
The water bearer said to the pot, “Did you happen to notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, and not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we have walked back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. If you were not just as you are, he would not have such beauty to grace his house.”
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Each of us has our own unique flaws; we are all, in some way, “cracked pots.” But, if we will recognize this and the potential benefits of those flaws, we will see that we can “grace the beauty of the master’s house.”
Don’t be afraid of your flaws or limitations. Acknowledge them and how they may confer advantages you may never have dreamed of in life’s pathway. Go out boldly, knowing that in our weaknesses we often discover our strengths as well.
What is Strength
We don’t always have to be strong. Sometimes, our strength is expressed in being vulnerable. Sometimes, we need to “fall apart” in order to regroup and stay on track.
We all have days when we cannot push any harder, cannot hold back self-doubt, cannot stop focusing on fear, cannot be “strong.” There are days when we cannot focus on being responsible. Occasionally, we don’t want to get out of our pajamas. Sometimes, we cry in front of people. We expose our tiredness, irritability, or anger.
These days are ok. They are, simply, ok.
Part of our taking care of ourselves means we give ourselves PERMISSSION to fall apart when we need to. We do not have to be perpetual towers of strength. We are strong. We have proven that. Our strength will continue if we allow ourselves the courage to feel scared, weak, and vulnerable when we need to experience these feelings.
Today, help me to know that it is okay to allow myself to be human. Help me not to feel guilty or punish myself when I need to fall apart.
(Source: Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go)