Several years ago, I created a page…
“a day in a life”
for some very rambunctious
9 and 10 year old kids in my classroom…
their moods and reactions
were bouncing from hour to hour…
sometimes minute to minute
bouncing from
“uh oh”
to
“wow”
up and down
down and up
~
As I reflected on that page
it occurred to me
that adults,
myself included,
may not bounce around
to that degree
or that quickly,
but
at times,
….. “bounce”…..
we may do
~
Of course,
“wow’s”
do feel wonderful
….and are to be sincerely appreciated….
but at times,
we may want them so much
or want things only “our” way
or try to insist upon them
or demand them…
~
Or perhaps
the “wow’s”
might be excessive
and a drop can happen
when the thrill wears off
And then
…moan and groan….
there are those
“uh oh’s”
unpleasant
don’t want them,
wish we could get rid of them
but similar to the “wow’s”
the “uh oh” reactions
ARE
within us
and they can be worked with
…and soon they do pass…
~
And since both of those reactions
ARE
within us
they can be understood
they can be “worked with”
there can be
better balance
perhaps even
“equanimity”
~getting my own “lesson”~
I’ve had the “opportunity”
…moan and groan…
to work on these ideas in the past few days
“uh oh’s”
I received some feedback
that seemed to be delivered
in what I perceived to be
less than kind words, phrases and sentences
(but I tend to be very sensitive, so that’s my perspective)
ahhhhhhhh….ego
“tumble” I did….
uh oh!
right down that flight of stairs
bumps, bruises, a few cuts
…all unnecessary…
IF
I had been able to maintain more perspective
And so a very strong motivation to “shift”
to not make as many of those stumbles and tumbles
to balance better
and not fall into
those
self created
“uh oh’s”
~
~
~Part 2~
…each and every day…
we all try so hard
to stay focused on the positives
to nurture and develop those positives in ourselves and others
BUT
if we don’t have or develop ways
to work with
the “uh oh” reactions
we’re going to be playing a game of
“chutes and ladders”
bouncing around
…up and down…up and down…
thinking we’re at the mercy of others
but we don’t have to be
we DO have influence
over our own reactions
~
…so….
…to learn to develop more balance…
and to do that it might be helpful
to try to figure out
what are the components
of some of those reactions
~
how about those
“wow’s”
what are they based on?
what was underneath that “wow”
those “wow’s” are important to appreciate
but that might, at times, be excessive
that we thought we wanted so much
~
And how about that
“uh oh”
what are the components of that “uh oh” reaction?
what did that “uh oh” come out of?
what was it that we WANTED and didn’t get?
or did NOT want
and got anyways?
How often are we stumbling?
getting lots of bumps and bruises
that are unnecessary
and definitely can be avoided
Well…for today,
that’s a good place to pause…
this is a bit long
lots of varying ideas
a good “mid point”…
recognizing…. the possible ups and downs
realizing… that they’re our own reactions
becoming aware… that one can learn more about those reactions
that we can learn… to identify what those reactions come out of
and can transition… into more insightful awareness and choices…
…a calmer mind…
…a steadier day…
~
~
So….
…a good place to pause for the day….
enough for now
…more ideas can wait for another day…
~
Link to related, simply phrased idea from Reflections:
“real happiness is equanimity and stability “
Pocket Perspectives 
Wonderful pictorial and word imagery here on the ups and downs of life–and how we can regain our balance over and over again, in spite of our “boo-boos.”!
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Oh….those “boo-boos”….ouch indeed! As you write…regaining balance, over and over again. My goal is to learn to decrease the stumbles ….before the tumbles…and then fewer “boo-boos”…
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“We say we long to leave Samsara’s game;
Why is it then that we remain attached?
Each thing we fear seems by another matched
That keeps us circling, moths about a flame.
In seeking praise, we run the risk of blame;
Our gain becomes a loss if from us snatched;
And from the want of pleasure pain is hatched,
While envy soon breeds slander out of fame.
If we think well on this we need not be
Impaled upon the horns of hopes and fears,
Aversions and desires, joys and tears;
By leaving craving and dislike behind,
And by this means alone, a man may find
Immeasurable Equanimity.”
This is one stanza from “The Four Immeasurables”. It seem relevant to your post.
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yup…..that’s where I’m headed… “8 worldly concerns”…they are so helpful when looking at reaction patterns…and making more thoughtful choices..and yes…equanimity….I just got that comment/suggestion from a friend in Australia too… : ) .but, ahhhhh…another day…the post got so long, so quickly….
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đŸ˜€
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Kathy, I’m a total work in progress. I go up and down, forgetting perspectives, uh ohing all over the place and then landing on my arse…which I’m thankful has sufficient padding for the landing;)
I think it’s great how you turn things around. How you pause before you panic. These are life skills we all need. And sometimes I have them, but other times, when my feelings get hurt, or my ego takes a hit, those life skills are nearly nonexistent.
Thank you for todays post Kathy. You are amazing!
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Thank you Leah…I didn’t know whether people would be able to relate to the images and ideas…I sure do, but one never knows about others. And yes, I did a gigantic tumble onto my “arse”…a big one…(a big tumble, not arse…I did the ducan diet and now don’t have the needed padding for these tumbles : ) ) And Leah…I didn’t pause before I panicked…and it took 2 days before I could get my feelings off the perceived “hurts”…I tumbled!….that’s why I’m making these particular pages…to try to teach/reorient myself to stop doing that!…and sharing in case there are others who do this too…the next part has good strategies…the final pages…the pages I haven’t posted yet… were the first ones I did….I think the strategies are really helpful, but the post was getting too long, so I stopped for now. Thank you, Leah, for your encouraging words…I really appreciate them…
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Today I was struggling internally; felt tense, overwhelmed, not very balanced, so this was an uh, oh, day emotionally. Nothing out of the ordinary however happened on my end, it was just a mental thing, my own issues. It’s amazing how the mind can affect us for better of for worse. Thank goodness that like you, I am mindful, so I didn’t stay in my not so pleasant state all day long. Hope you get more insights that will set you free. đŸ™‚
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The degree of my own reaction wasn’t typical, thank goodness!…I was working on these pages before all that happened…isn’t it remarkable how the mind can “wobble”… and I’m so happy yours didn’t last too long… I hope we ALL get more insights that are freeing….I sure hope so…they certainly are available!
(well, Marie, now we have “uh oh days” and ‘woo woo stuff”….we’re developing our own repertoire! đŸ˜€ )
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Pingback: 7/11/12 Real happiness is equanimity and stability…. « Reflections From a Friend
Yes a very nice balance of attention-grabbing ups and downs in a marvellous array of viewpoints, all with a positive edge I might add, indeed for those that cannot understand the impression that you are presenting here in this excellently portrayed posting they should stop and think before submitting their thoughts…
I think the majority of people that will come across this posting will instantly realise that positive thinking far outweighs the negativity and that a ‘Wow’ idea is always going to prove more objective that a ‘Uh-Ho’ moment…
Thank you for directing me to this one my friend
as I can see that you put a lot of work and a great
deal of thought into it đŸ™‚
Have a great start
to your Monday đŸ™‚
Androgoth
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oh, thankfully, the negative comments weren’t about specific ideas in posts…I had been making some very very special and beautiful pages based on someone else’s words/work, for a period of several days after gaining inspiration, but before getting actual permission….so I learned a lesson… to be very very careful to use my own ideas/images/words, not other people’s images/words…to gain inspiration from others’ ideas as a “springboard” for my own creating. I learned a lot as I was making/continue making this post….so much to learn.. : ) ..of course, I love learning, so I could look at it that way… ps..you write very similarly to a friend of mine….very similarly….wow…. http://reflectionsfromafriend.wordpress.com/2012/04/29/4292012-seeking-approval-motivation-and-intention-are-what-counts/ And of course the lesson here would be this…. https://pocketperspectives.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/i-just-dont-have-time-letting-it-go-shifting-to-positive/
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Well I certainly enjoyed this posting my friend
and I will be calling back later to view some more
of your creativity đŸ™‚ I will also take a look at the
links that you offered me đŸ™‚
Have a very nice afternoon and evening đŸ™‚
Androgoth
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Such an honest post, thanks for sharing. Because I know those “wows” and “uh ohs”. I like to tell myself, “Come back to the present. Stop.” Because both the “wows” and the “uh ohs” are teachers, but I realize that I am not obligated to flog myself half to death in order to learn from them. A simple recognition serves me better than an internal beating! Some days are easier than others, that’s true! Thank you for all of your posts — I enjoy reading them so much, and I ALWAYS get insight and inspiration from your posts! ♥
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: ) ….ah yes, a simple recognition, rather than a flogging… : ) I am learning from that “uh oh”…but less flogging, on my own part, would have been helpful… (And Janet, your earlier comments about the “confusion” helped…. thank you ) live and learn… : )
I’m so happy that you get insight and inspiration from the posts….
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