THE PRIORITIZER - 307/365

a potential crisis

can be an opportunity

to reveal our priorities

an actual crisis

can become an opportunity

to act upon them

THE DECISION MAKER - 302/365

you may find the

heavy burden of doubt on your back

when the fate of others is in your hands

THE KILLJOY - 283/365

the only way

someone can

kill your joy

is if you hold them

responsible for it

THE IMPRECATOR - 268/365

finding a solution requires

time, effort and occasionally risk;

blaming another is much easier

for it only requires

raising a hand and pointing a finger

THE EXTRICATE ‘OR - 218/365

release from a difficult situation

comes to those who claim their part

THE FIXER - 170/365

the need to feel

totally responsible

is the arrogant assumption

of ones own power

Question:

What do you feel totally responsible for?

Clay Ingredients:

Super Sculpey

THE HAPPY SCHNOOK - 159/365

sometimes

the burden of responsibility

brings with it

the opportunity

to make a difference

Question:

In what way do you feel responsible?

Clay Ingredients:

Super Sculpey

THE CHEATER - 95/365

"My eyes are closed...I can't see a thing...promise. No, really - I'm not looking...I wouldn't do that...I swear!"

My Reflection:

While I'm not a "cheater," I suppose there are times when I cheat myself. "Oops...where did the time go...just can't make it to the gym today."

While this isn't going to kill me, the fact that I'm pretending I don't know any better eats away at the fabric of my integrity leaving me with a sense of uneasiness and mistrust.

Perhaps the next time I try and fool myself or let "time slip away", I'll remember that to build "trust" requires a willingness to tell the "truth" and that one can't exist without the other.

Question:

How do you "cheat" yourself?

THE CHOOSER - 61/365

"Either I'm happy or you're happy and since I can't make YOU happy, I'm choosing to make MYSELF happy. Why not? You're not going to choose ME so I'm going to do it.

You don’t have to be mad at me for choosing myself. Why don't you just choose YOURSELF and then we'll BOTH be happy....sort of.”

My Reflection:

Choosing what I want to do is not always easy. Why is that? Am I so conditioned to please others that I’d rather disappoint myself instead?

Perhaps taking responsibility for my own happiness, involves the willingness to disappoint others without blaming them for my decision.

Question:

How willing are you to disappoint someone?

THE TIMER - 60/365

"It's getting late, don't you think you should be going? It will take at least fifteen minutes to get there and you might run into traffic which means you need to allow another ten minutes...maybe more.

Wait...before you go, you should figure out what time you want to return - that way you'll know what time to leave. Be sure and factor in the weather - it's supposed to be sunny and you know how blinding sunsets can be so you may want to leave a little earlier."

My Reflection:

Sometimes I can be obsessed with the time - always calculating how long it will take to get ready and then how long it will take to get to my destination.

After I have that all figured out, I try and cram in as much as possible before the determined departure time - hoping to accomplish just a little bit more. Of course that never works...it only makes me late.

I'm learning that time only cooperates when it's honored.

Question:

What's the meaning of "time" to you?

THE PLEASER - 21/365

“That’s fine - really - that’s fine.

Whatever you want to do is fine with me.

Of course it’s possible we might run into some traffic or have a parking issue but if you think we’ll get there in time I’m fine with it - no problem, no problem at all.

In fact, we could even leave later if you want to. Huh? You want to leave later?

Or earlier...we could leave earlier it's up to you.”

My Reflection:

I'm a "pleaser" - I know I'm a pleaser - no doubt about it. And sometimes I have to admit that in order to "please" I end up going along with something I have doubts about or don't agree with. Then when it all goes wrong like I predicted it would, I have to remind myself that I did have a choice and that I could have chosen to follow my gut instinct instead.

I've decided that sometimes, it's easier to "please" than to take responsibility for choosing not to trust my gut. Plus, in the moment, it just feels better to call the other person an idiot and talk about what I "should have done" rather than what I "chose" to do. Why? Because I'm a "pleaser" and that takes precedent.

So, the question is; how does a "pleaser" follow her gut instinct even though it may not please the other person? I guess awareness is the first step - owning up to my choice would be second. The third......?

Question:

What do you think?