When You Don’t Feel Good
You keep trying to change “things” but it doesn’t change the way you feel.
You try to change the way the house looks, still don’t feel better.
You try to change the way you look, still don’t feel better.
You even try to change your work schedule, or your career, even your husband, still you don’t feel any better.
That’s because feeling better has nothing to do with what we do, and everything to do with how we think.
I’m home sick this week, and you know what? I keep finding myself doing things, like painting doors, and cleaning rooms, and washing windows, because I think if I “do” then I’ll feel less guilty and feel more productive.
But that’s impossible because my thoughts create my feelings, NOT my actions.
But you and I both still believe that if we behave differently, if we do things differently then we will feel differently.
Until you start to tell yourself a different story in your head, nothing changes.
I found myself being incredibly hard on myself while I’m home sick.
I was telling myself that I wasn’t doing enough. That I should be up moving. I should help with the kids, or do laundry.
I told myself that you can’t just sit around and do nothing. You have to do something!
Imagine if I told my sick kid that?
Mom: “Get up, go do something, you can’t just sit around all day.”
Saying that to a sick child would be considered child abuse.
So why do I choose to tell myself that?
Because I believe my value is determined by what I produce, the money I make, the projects I complete, the value I create by doing.
Isn’t that ridiculous?
But you think so, don’t you?
When I love myself, the way I love my children, I would encourage myself to rest, take it easy. I would have compassion for myself, and meet myself right where I am.
Let me give you some advice. When you are sick, treat yourself like you would treat your child if they were sick. Be compassionate. Choose love over judgement. Be kind, and create a space where you can heal physichally and emotionally.
