Different Perspective

[Grandma Helen]

Do you find that sometimes if you look at things differently that you feel better or less stressed?

[officerripley]

I've only ever had luck (espec. now that I'm old) with being a little bit less stressed by just giving the heck up on some things.

[Grandma Helen]

OfficerRipley, I understand what you're talking about.  There's a lot of things we have  no control over and just giving up on it when it's obvious that it's not going to get any better certainly leaves us no answer but to just stop doing certain things.  I used to love doing latch hook rugs.  Had to give it up do to hand tremors and lousy vision and memory problems.  Too much stress.  I've instead learned to do backgrounds and I'm still learning ones on here.  It's fun and allows me a means to use my creativity.  

As for changing my perspective on things, early 2020 I lost two close friends to illness and I had to decide if I was going to dwell on the loss or the joy they brought me while they were alive.  I decided the joy they brought me far outweighed the loss.  At times the loss got me down but then I'd think of something I did with them and I'd be laughing about them.  

[officerripley]

Sorry for the loss of your friends, Helen; that's so hard. I'm glad they got to have you for a friend though.

[PartTimeBrewer]

That trick is central to my mindfulness practice.

[Grandma Helen]

PTB, what is mindfulness?

OfficerRipley thank you.  It was hard but my mental attitude made it so much easier.  One I knew in high school and lost touch with him for years, then found him on classmates.  The rough and tumble kid turned out to be a lawyer and judge.  He had parkinsons.  His wife was wonderful.  When he was too sick to come to MD for train shows she'd stop about once a year so he could se me.  He got very bad at the end and wound up in a nurcing home because of halluincations and dementia.  Didn't know where he was.  Fortunately they had loads of money and he was in a good one.  

The other was a Slovakian woman I met in a building I lived in.  Knew her 8 years.  Had a million health issues but cancer in her "lady parts" that got her.  All external.  Wouldn't go to a doctor because she didn't want a doctor looking down there.  She was so funny.  F bombed everything.  The madder she got the worse the Fbombs got and her accent got really bad.  She'd drag me to Ross, which I hated becaus she'd go for a blouse and come out $80 later without a blouse all kinds of things she didn't need.  S eventually me she wouldn't take me any more because I made faces.  Sure I did, she had to touch everything in the store.  Fun lady.  I apologize if there's typo's.  I can't really see this.  I'm going for cataract surgery in the morning.  

[PartTimeBrewer]

Sorry for the delay answering, we were out getting 2nd vaccination this morning.  Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique. The whole point us to be aware without passing judgment on any thoughts you might have, which is usually a drastic change of perspective.

[officerripley]

Thanks, Helen, love the info. on your friends! Also, good luck with the cataract surgery; keep us posted.

[Lilrain]

I've been doing that recently and it really works for me, I'm not nearly as stressed as I was.

[Holly Schmucki]

Yes now that you mentioned I do