The Daily Groove

My favorite daily digest of sorts...The Daily Groove. Every morning there is a short message that inspires, comforts, challenges me in some way. I often forward it Chris. They sometimes get discussed late at night over beer in the backyard. These little tidbits for the soul and mind don't always speak to me, but they almost always resonate with me in a deep way affecting not just my parenting but my whole life.

A couple of weeks I pulled out of a foul mood/insomnia with the help of a recent tip...keep a little list of small things/acts that help you feel better when you want to go up the emotional scale. My hubbie was trying to help me but could do no right. I finally thought, "What would be on my list? Listening to Nick Drake, of course." So Chris put my favorite Drake tune on "One of These Things First" and the funk just seeped away.
Here is a recent one that I think of often in my day:

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove

:: Red Light, Green Light ::

Virtually all of us "lose it" with our kids at some
point. Then later we say, "I didn't want to yell at my
child, but I couldn't stop myself."

If you want to avoid these parent-child "collisions,"
you have to pay more attention to your "inner
stoplight": stress.

Suppose you're worried about getting your child to an
appointment on time. Worrying is stressful, so it's a
red light telling you to stop and get centered before
moving on. But long ago you were trained to tolerate
stress, so you don't notice the red light. You're on a
collision course!

Which parent is more likely to end up yelling, the one
who's centered or the one who's stressed?

Today, pay close attention to your subtle feelings.
Decide that even "mild" tension or irritation is a red
light. Stop, breathe, reach for better-feeling
thoughts, and wait for the green-light feeling of
*relief* before you take action

http://dailygroove.net/red-light-green-light

Feel free to forward this message to your friends!
(Please include this paragraph and everything above.)
Copyright (c) 2008 by Scott Noelle

Simple stuff like that. But not easy stuff. Not for me. Not yet. The more intentional I am, the more present, I recognize my emotions sooner and the relief comes sooner. But I run a lot of red lights still.