Hi Donna, it is wonderful to hear your voice this morning. 💗 I am grateful for your insight and questions. Always love the timing and gentle nudges that seem to remind me about the every moment need for compassion and acceptance.
Yes we are all doing the best we can on any given day.
Oh yes …. Hmmm sitting with the discomfort at times .. not easy.
Thank you Dearest Lynn! It's so interesting how things find us, and nudge us, when we need them the most. Other times we are yearning for something and it doesn't seem to come. I've had one of those days when I felt like the Universe was listening and offering ideas for my consideration that helped me feel better and more expansive. It is my greatest pleasure to occasionally be able to offer that to another reader.
Donna, what immediately comes to me in reading and rereading these four "what if" questions is that, if answered from within that deep kernel of truth inside each of us, they would transform the world! I read presence to the present moment, compassion, minding our own business, tenderness . . . and more tenderness! Thank you. 🙏
Sitting in discomfort is something I am still trying to get comfortable with. I have a tendency to try ‘fix’ or ‘solve’ the discomfort, and sometimes that just isn’t an option. During these times, the realisation that I can just sit in the discomfort and breath normally comes later than I’d like it to. But I’m working on it. Which, of course, makes your words a welcome reminder. Thanks Donna :)
I hear you Michael. As someone who is an Enneagram 9 (a system that would likely fascinate you) I avoid discomfort at every turn so it's been a lifetime of work for me.
Surely the bright minds in our scientific community can explain to us why it is that middle of the night worries are a million times more real and more scary than any other time of day. I should have put a caveat on that point that being tender with ourselves rarely seems to apply at 3am. I'm all ears for anyone who has any special tricks up their sleeves for that one!
Something I read made a big impression on me (it might have been written by Martha Beck but I don't recall for sure) to remind ourselves that annoying folks, or anyone really, are being perfectly themselves. I've found this very helpful when I'm irritated, 'oh look, there they go being perfectly themself'.
Sometimes simple is best (not necessarily easiest, unfortunately🤣) It is awesome to see you here in the comments section Nicole! I hope things are good in your world and that 2025 goes easy on you and your people.❤️
Hello, Donna. I can stretch my mind by letting it wander, and that's where many of my fiction texts come from, as if my mind were suddenly several minds in one, or as if the Universe were multifaceted. There is much more than meets the eye, and the main thing is essentially inside us.
Allowing our mind to wander is a huge gift. It's like it just goes out cruising the space of the Universe to see what it's going to bring back and, in your case, it brings back amazing poetry and writing. Some folks probably solve big math problems that way (that approach sure didn't work for me🤣)
What to do when the “right” thing is wrong? First step is we have to be paying attention to our inside voice or we will ignore it. I need to listen more to that voice. I need an internal hearing aid.
Now that would be an amazing invention - an internal hearing aid. I bet it's coming! Sometimes our inner voice is so soft that our loud ego-based, controlling voice just barrels right over it and we miss the nuance of our deepest self. I know you know, and teach us, how to manage this conundrum.
I'm going to write more about when the right thing may not be right because I've been thinking a lot about it.
I haven't heard of People of the Book, thanks for letting me know Karen, I'm going to check it out. (OK that is the worst sentence structure ever! But, I'm pretty sure you're not here for the sentence structure or you would have left by now🤣)
You are welcome Jennifer. That whole trust thing is the work of a lifetime it seems. I find it ebbs and flows for me and I certainly feel better when I'm in the flow of allowing rather than fighting it. It's just frustrating when I seem to forget that.
I appreciate you letting me know that the article was helpful, thanks for being here❤️
Hi Donna, it is wonderful to hear your voice this morning. 💗 I am grateful for your insight and questions. Always love the timing and gentle nudges that seem to remind me about the every moment need for compassion and acceptance.
Yes we are all doing the best we can on any given day.
Oh yes …. Hmmm sitting with the discomfort at times .. not easy.
Sending hugs and love from Mexico 🙏🏻 💗
Thank you Dearest Lynn! It's so interesting how things find us, and nudge us, when we need them the most. Other times we are yearning for something and it doesn't seem to come. I've had one of those days when I felt like the Universe was listening and offering ideas for my consideration that helped me feel better and more expansive. It is my greatest pleasure to occasionally be able to offer that to another reader.
I'm so happy you are here❤️
Donna, what immediately comes to me in reading and rereading these four "what if" questions is that, if answered from within that deep kernel of truth inside each of us, they would transform the world! I read presence to the present moment, compassion, minding our own business, tenderness . . . and more tenderness! Thank you. 🙏
So much more tenderness is needed. May we point it both inward and outward. Right now I'm pointing a whole bunch down south to you my friend❤️
Sitting in discomfort is something I am still trying to get comfortable with. I have a tendency to try ‘fix’ or ‘solve’ the discomfort, and sometimes that just isn’t an option. During these times, the realisation that I can just sit in the discomfort and breath normally comes later than I’d like it to. But I’m working on it. Which, of course, makes your words a welcome reminder. Thanks Donna :)
I hear you Michael. As someone who is an Enneagram 9 (a system that would likely fascinate you) I avoid discomfort at every turn so it's been a lifetime of work for me.
Just the word ‘Enneagram 9’ fascinates me — I’m gonna have to look that system up!
And yes, I feel it’s gonna be a long road for me as well haha.
Thanks Donna :)
How kind of you to mention me, thank you. Wishing you equal the joy you gave to me.
You are welcome Troy. I appreciate your amazing work!
Like three good deep breaths. This comes at exactly the right time. Thanks Donna!
Sending you lots of love to go with those breaths❤️
Wonderful questions Donna. Thank you. 🙏
You are always welcome Dear Kimberly❤️
Those what ifs never seem to work at 3am when I’m stressing. Wish I had #3 last night. 🙏
Surely the bright minds in our scientific community can explain to us why it is that middle of the night worries are a million times more real and more scary than any other time of day. I should have put a caveat on that point that being tender with ourselves rarely seems to apply at 3am. I'm all ears for anyone who has any special tricks up their sleeves for that one!
Thank you for sharing and recommending. This whole article is a chefs kiss! ❤️
Thanks Beckett, right back at you!
So wonderful to hear your voice again! Thank you ❤️
I’ve been practicing #1 all night and morning after last night’s dinner with a terribly-annoying friend. They’re doing the best they can 🙏
Something I read made a big impression on me (it might have been written by Martha Beck but I don't recall for sure) to remind ourselves that annoying folks, or anyone really, are being perfectly themselves. I've found this very helpful when I'm irritated, 'oh look, there they go being perfectly themself'.
Thanks for being here Dee❤️
Now there’s some simple resolutions to make this next quarter century a beautiful one.
Happy start to 2025, to you 💛
Sometimes simple is best (not necessarily easiest, unfortunately🤣) It is awesome to see you here in the comments section Nicole! I hope things are good in your world and that 2025 goes easy on you and your people.❤️
Hello, Donna. I can stretch my mind by letting it wander, and that's where many of my fiction texts come from, as if my mind were suddenly several minds in one, or as if the Universe were multifaceted. There is much more than meets the eye, and the main thing is essentially inside us.
Allowing our mind to wander is a huge gift. It's like it just goes out cruising the space of the Universe to see what it's going to bring back and, in your case, it brings back amazing poetry and writing. Some folks probably solve big math problems that way (that approach sure didn't work for me🤣)
Hi Donna. Thank you for your comment. Thats what I did today. Let my mind wander, and wonder. This was the result: https://rolandoandrade.substack.com/p/time
Thank you Donna, this is exactly what I needed to see at this time! Much appreciated ❤️!
I am SO glad Marion! Thank you for dropping in here to let me know😘
What to do when the “right” thing is wrong? First step is we have to be paying attention to our inside voice or we will ignore it. I need to listen more to that voice. I need an internal hearing aid.
Now that would be an amazing invention - an internal hearing aid. I bet it's coming! Sometimes our inner voice is so soft that our loud ego-based, controlling voice just barrels right over it and we miss the nuance of our deepest self. I know you know, and teach us, how to manage this conundrum.
I'm going to write more about when the right thing may not be right because I've been thinking a lot about it.
Loved Horse too. Halfway through her People of the Book, lessons on patience..
I haven't heard of People of the Book, thanks for letting me know Karen, I'm going to check it out. (OK that is the worst sentence structure ever! But, I'm pretty sure you're not here for the sentence structure or you would have left by now🤣)
Thanks, Donna. I needed this advice. Still learning to trust my gut/intuition, you reminded me to do so.
You are welcome Jennifer. That whole trust thing is the work of a lifetime it seems. I find it ebbs and flows for me and I certainly feel better when I'm in the flow of allowing rather than fighting it. It's just frustrating when I seem to forget that.
I appreciate you letting me know that the article was helpful, thanks for being here❤️