April 2018 Newsletter

Hello, and an abundant April to you!
Welcome, or welcome back, to my newsletter. Today's issue is about appreciating minor gains, instead of waiting for a big triumph to know you're moving forward. Enjoy!

Notice the glee on the child's face at learning to walk! He's conquering a new skill, and proud of himself. He's not thinking "I'll probably fall down after a couple of steps -- I can't do this right!". He accepts his current rudimentary level of ability, while still wanting to improve it. He's not wasting any of his energy worrying about not being perfect yet.

How often do we measure ourselves by whether we've reached the finish line yet? The reunion is 4 months away, and you've lost 20 pounds, but still can't fit into that outfit, so feel like a failure. And you are tempted to have some cake! Obviously this isn't helpful, and while it may be delicious in the moment, you'll feel worse about yourself afterwards.

This picture of kids just wanting to get to their destination on a long drive, not appreciating the journey at all, reminds me of how we can make it harder for ourselves. Celebrating small accomplishments, milestones on the way to our big goal, can help. Maybe you used to start an argument with your spouse a few times a week, from feeling over-tired and like you need more help. You've been trying to shift this, and realize the spat you had this morning is the first in almost a month! Good for you -- congratulate yourself for the progress. No, you're not "there" yet, and you're not where you were either.

Being proud of yourself for your progress has gotten a bad rap, to me. You can always find someone who does it better or faster or learned more quickly than you did, so being all puffed-up with how great you are isn't being honest with yourself, and is just asking to have your balloon punctured -- no one likes a braggart. Yet heartfelt self-congratulation at reaching even a small goal can increase your confidence, and give you the fuel to keep going forward. Tell yourself "Good job! Well done!" and mean it. Then take the next step.

The Beverly Sills quote above reminds us that we usually don't get to a big important goal in a single speedy step. She was a famous opera singer who I'm sure spent hours and hours practicing, not expecting to move forward in her career without doing the work. There may be no shortcuts to wherever you want to go yourself. And you can appreciate the small successes along the way, and enjoy the journey instead of waiting until you're "there" to be happy. This way the learning and growth will be even more satisfying, and you'll have a lot more fun.

To read an article about appreciating small improvements in my vision, click here.

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Please send me your questions and comments
Let me know what you've wondered about concerning energy medicine or vision or dreams. I'll be glad to write a short article addressing that topic. Thank you to those who have sent me questions, or see a question you asked me in a private session written about here. You're helping many other people! Enjoy the start of your April. I'll write again in a few weeks. Take care!