Owning our emotions

[Tanya M]

Good article about owning our emotions.

This really resonates with me as I look back over my journey with my difficult son and how in the beginning I would respond emotionally as a wounded animal, and like a wounded animal I would often strike back.

I have mentioned before how I will no longer allow my son to hold my emotions hostage. I know this has been a key factor in my own healing and being able to detach with love from my son.

One part of this article that really sticks out to me is;
a soul’s lessons is to learn to respond lovingly no matter what — with no conditions under which it is okay to respond unlovingly.
This is something I do try and do with my son, to respond in a loving way even when he is unkind. There are times however, just as the article implies, that you need to lovingly disengage.

Give it a read

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/margaret-paul-phd/taking-responsibility-feelings_b_1109779.html

 

[Albatross]

That was a good article. Thanks for sharing.

I really struggle with this, and not just with my difficult child.

How much time do I spend wishing the people I interact with would act differently?

Wow...a LOT.

Given my huge expenditures of time spent wishing other people would be different, how many of them now act differently?

Hmmm...that would be...none.

So the challenge for me is to focus less on how I think others "should" behave in a given situation and more on how I think *I* should respond in a given situation.

Not easy, but at least within my control.

"My actions are my only true belongings." -- Thich Nhat Hanh