In my Kindness challenge we are challenging ourselves to only speak kind words and do an extra act of kindness for the month of July. I am tempering my words but struggle with judgemental thoughts. Guess I need to stay focused on kindness even more.
One thing the speaker spoke about today was our mindset. There are two mindsets and we embrace one or the other in different circumstances. Are we of the fixed mindset or the growth mindset? If we decide this is the way I am and I can't change in any area that is fixed. If we are allowing ourselves to evolve and improve that is the growth mindset.
Yesterday Jenn spoke about what is next for her in retirement. I suddenly felt guilty that I truly believe I will not have a job with a paycheck ever again. It made me judge myself. Then I paused and recognized that promoting my book and beginning a book on adoption is my heart's work. I want to make enough money on the book to give books away freely to any and everyone who God leads me too. Terra, I need your address to send you one.......... That God walked me through the loss of Ryan is my testimony and writing was a log of just how faithful He was over the decade of grief.
Being kind to others is so important but being kind to ourselves is where it all begins. I am in a season of rest with a rib injury and I need to not judge myself when I have to say no to certain things. Dave Ramsey says that saying no is also saying yes to something else. So if I quit framing the no and begin seeing the yes it will help me be kinder to myself. So I am saying yes to healing this not so young body when I sit rather than help lay sod in my daughter's backyard today.
Perception is the function of contrast is a saying that I have kept close for most of my life. If I think about what I am not doing compared to what I could accomplish before my fall, it makes me frustrated. If I think about what I can do now compared to what I could do weeks ago, I see the progress. This is the same with grief. The loss of Ryan to suicide will always shape my story but it is not my focus like it was in the months after he died. The contrast gives me the perception of healing in both situations.
Kindness needs to be my focus and I need to be intentional about it if I am going to grow into a less judgemental more kind person. That is what I want. I can stay fixed on not being a mathematician except for my finances but a fixed mindset on becoming a more joyful, kinder person is not what I want. So I am thankful for this Kindness challenge that I wake up to every morning from Revive Our Hearts. Hopefully, July won't be the end of the growth and change that so many of us are embracing.
In Him,
Joyful
7-15-21
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