When we notice how we've been going around, tainting our days and our possibilities with this habitual response, we give ourselves an opportunity to do better. Feel better. Support our selves more.
The "Oh no." that fills our days is unintentional, and drags us down. It raises too high cortisol,and lowers too low cortisol. It saps energy, eats up our fuel for the day, and magnifies any difficulty.
When we wake up and realize we are unconsciously doing this every single day, we can become more aware, and intentionally smile at each Oh no thing.
When you smile, it changes your emotions. It changes your physiology, supporting the production of feel-good brain chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin, the very brain chemicals we cook through, while thinking or feeling stress. The very same brain chemicals we try to unhelpfully supplant , with coffee, sugar, carbs, and more. The very same brain chemicals we can try to build up, by considering 5htp for stress and low serotonin and depression and anxiety. Or GABA for thoughts and anxiety going round and round. Theanine for stress response and anxiety and stress that interferes with sleep and focusing and relaxed muscles.
Sometimes we realize we are greeting the day with one 'Oh no.' after another. Making more problems, ramping up stress, by doing so.
"Oh no, I didn't do the ( taxes, cleaning, budget, ....) I meant to this weekend.
"Oh no, there is the ( partner, kid, relative, neighbor, cat, plant, job) that has this happening.
"Oh NO!" we awaken to our nation in this situation.
But how we greet these aspects of our lives matters. We can be both honest in our response to finding them still there every day we wake, and mindfully study how to acknowledge them, problem solve and plan to do what we can, and then study how to SMILE as we encounter each one.
And say to ourselves "Yes, this is in my life today."
"Yes, I did that yesterday and I wish I hadn't."
"Yes, that is happening over there in the world, and I feel so ( angry, sad, scared, disappointed, uneasy, anxious...) about it.
"Yes, my car is needing more and more repairs."
"Yes, I am experiencing a lot of ( exhaustion, pain , heartache, loneliness , frustration , hopelessness ..)
When we go around encountering our sadnesses and griefs and disbelief and concerns , and we manage to smile, and say "Yes , there that is." to them, we loosen the tightening. We lighten whatever we are feeling and dealing with. We free the waters of the river, to flow.
There are no magic wands, and this is not a Disney movie.
And remember - a smile and acceptance is not acquiescence .
Rather, it better positions us to go out into our day, value ourselves , and see what needs to be lived with, for now, versus what can be done .
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