take a second.

This week I had my "official" admissions interview with my graduate program. Even though I've already technically been accepted, I've had to jump through a couple of hoops to make it the real real deal. I can understand why they do this, particularly with a Counseling program. They need to make sure they're not sending a bunch of quacks through a program that is designed to assist people with their mental and behavioral stability. Seems reasonable.

So today I was thinking to myself, SELF: You are who you are because of what you allow yourself to be. I think this was formulated in part after reading an uplifting letter of recommendation written by a former supervisor and long-time friend, but also just through some self-reflection. I can be peaceful, content and excited about my life because that's what I allow. I can be miserable, dodgy and regretful because that's what I allow. Why in the WORLD would I want to be the latter? For every action or thought, there is motivation and reason driving it: Why do I go to the gym? Because it makes me feel better and, according to the gym owner, "It's all about the LGN, baby!" Looking Good Naked. Duh. What kind of attitude should I bring to work today? Positive, light, low-stress, determined. My business is fast-paced, relatively high-stress and can be very negative; basically, I have no interest in allowing those things to infiltrate ME so deciding how to counter it is another thing I allow.

I digress . . . Every now and then it's a good idea to look in the mirror. Don't just glance; LOOK. Look at what your eyes tell you. Do they dance or are they sad? Look at the lines and the freckles. Are they there from laughing in the sun after a long hike or did they come from staring at a computer all day, stressing out about which spreadsheet should be sent to whom first. (Yuck.) And finally, allow yourself a smile. It's both to you and from you and will be more rewarding than you think. Aaaaaaand GO.

P.S. Today is my Grams' 75th birthday! Since I can't be there, I'm sending her lots and lots of love energies. She's amazing.