Personal Goal – Managing Emotions – Update #2

“Hey! Scott! Over here! How are ya doin with those goal thingys?“

Hey! I’m glad you asked.  Just have a seat, a cup of joe (depending on what time it is..hmm..another post just hit me..) and let me tell you how I’ve been handling my emotions this week.  

I’ve been handling them like a stick of dynamite. Thanks for stopping in and asking.  Check back next week fo….

“Whoa!! Yeah, nice try buddy.  That ain’t gonna work.”

*sigh* O, awright.

I’ve actually had a very good week.  Both Monday and Thursday..er..today, were fine.  No big time blow ups that I can remember. 

Prayer Life

My prayer life is improving.  Before my feet hit the floor I have to say, “Whew! God! I’m an alcoholic and man, I thank you so much for not letting me drink yesterday.  Help me not drink today.  Use me any way you see fit (dangerous I know (I don’t tell him that part..I just think it (“like he can’t hear you dummy. what an idiot.” (HEY! YOU THERE! GET OUTTA MY THOUGHTS!)))).  Oh, and thanks for letting me wake up again.  I really enjoy that part of my day.”  I think God gets a kick out of that.  He has a sense of humor you know.  But that’s for another day.

Meditation

I’ve been trying to stop at some point during the day and just close my eyes and meditate while I’m at work.  Examine my breathing, what’s going on in my head, you know, just make sure everything is in check.  Checking my pressure valves and just doing a steady release if needed.  If something was really starting to get to me, I’d stop and for 10 seconds just think about if it’s gonna matter tomorrow.  Most of the time it didn’t, but that stopping helped ease it a bit even if it did seem like it would matter.

And just yesterday I put into practice another tradition that I picked up from Motivate Thyself – Taking Time To Breathe In Life.  Taking 5 minutes (precious time to most of us nowadays) to just stop, look and listen and see what I’ve been missing, being so busy these days.  I’ll spare repeating it and give the glory where it needs to be. Check it out sometime, just come back here when your done. 

Stress Related Articles

Read previous section.

Blogged

Yep, done at too.  This really really is quite possibly still the most exhilarating, freeing, fun thing I have done…ever!  

Took time at the end of the day to think about triggers

This I did, but not so much at the end of the day.  Trying to catch them before they become major issues.  Been doing a pretty good job at that, if I do say so myself.  Although, there was a small issue yesterday but it only lasted briefly and didn’t ruin my day.  I’ll not go into that here.  Just keeping myself honest.

Conclusion

You tell me?  Have you seen..er..read any growth?  I’m curious really.  I hope that you’ve set yourself some goals by now as well.  If you haven’t, why not?

 

Let me help you help yourself! <—-keep it or drop it? opinions. you ain’t gonna hurt me none whichever .

SC

• Issues of the Week
• Personal Goal – Managing Emotions Correctly – Update 1

Personal Goal – Road to Becoming A Counselor

 

by evelynishere

This week I read the article “Sink or Swim” over at Writer Dad and it really made me think about which I was doing at this point in my professional life.  I think I’m actually treading water right now.  My arms and legs are getting tired and wrinkled from the constant motion and being under water for so long.  Time and energy wasted.  I feel stuck in this one spot.  I do look around me from time to time to see where some of the other locations are that I could be or to see if I can find a way of getting out of here.  I see the possible beaches of my life, but I choose to stay in this one spot.  Treading, looking, wondering.  

It’s comfortable.  But I’m getting really tired.  

It’s for this reason, and that article motivating me, that I’m setting another goal this week.  I’m going to move forward with the crazy thought that I’ve had in my head of becoming a professional counselor.  

Presently

I’m 35 at the time of this writing.  Divorced.  Two kids every other week, for a week.  I’m probably like you in that I have a house payment, truck Payment, ex-wife payment ((grrrr!) ok you may not have that one) and the normal bills of life.  I presently have a job making really really good money for the area that I live.  Good money for a lot of areas around here actually.  I’m pretty sure that I couldn’t make the same amount as a counselor, but I don’t know that for sure.

Why

“So why are you changing?”, you ask.  Because I don’t think I am as happy doing what I am doing now as I could be doing what I want to do.  Happiness is not the amount of money that I am making, it’s how I feel inside.  I’m not expecting to make this change right away.  I’m going at this goal a little at a time. Here is what I have so far as far as a plan goes.

The Plan

1. Keep praying daily for guidance – Probably the most important of the steps that I will be taking.
2. Google Google Google
3. Research salaries
4. Read blogs created by other counselors – Hey, if you have one or know of one, please please let me know.
5. Speak to at least 3 practicing counselors
6. Pray
7. Look for certification programs or online programs where I can get a degree
8. Come up with the funding
9. Take the courses

Now, I know some of these are vague.  5,7,8, and 9 will or can be broken down when the time comes to start them.  I just wanted this out there so that there would be some accountability.

This Week

This week I am going to tackle 1, 2, and 4.  Why skip 3?  I guess I really want to make sure that counseling is something that I would enjoy, and not just one of those curiosities I get stuck in my head.  Of course, if I find that counselors are only making 10,000.00 a year, then maybe that won’t become a full-time profession, but a part time profession.  Remains to be seen.

I would love to hear your comments.  I would especially like to hear of suggestions.  Something I missed? Something you know that I don’t?  Just let me know.

Check back next week for a progress report.  

Let me help you help yourself!
SC

Personal Goal – Managing Emotions Correctly – Update # 1

In last weeks post, Issues of the Week, I put the following out there for your viewing:

“because I want to use the Positive Public Pressure from Leo’s article to get me headed toward my ultimate goal, which is I’m going to figure out how to correctly deal with my emotions.”

It was a “big” goal that I hadn’t really broken down into steps.  Still haven’t written anything down to keep me on track or to see my progress, but I can feel it.

This week I’ve read several article relating to stress and stress/emotion management.  The next time I do so I’ll have to remember where they were so I can share them with you.  Sorry about that.

Here are some other things that I have done, particularly on those “extra stressful” days, that have, so far, kept me on a more comfortable track.

• Daily I prayed for self-awareness
• Meditated in the middle of the day
• Read stress related articles
• Blogged
• At the end of the day, tried to remember if there were any triggers or events that seemed to make things worse.  

I know it’s not much, but it’s working.  Besides, in the past, I’ve never had goals.  To have accomplished as little as I have already, it’s very motivating and exhilarating.

How are you doing with your goals?

Let me help you help yourself!

SC

Prev Goal Post – Issues of the Week

• Personal Goal – Managing Emotions – Update 2

Figured it would happen today

Well, it certainly has been a Monday.  As I’ve stated in a previous article, Mondays and Thursdays are not good days for me emotionally.  Today didn’t let me down either.  I didn’t have to work today because of Columbus Day and all, and I still had a emotional/stressful (emotionally stressful) day.  

Work is apparently not the cause.  Must be life in general.  I think I’ve just about gotten the cause pinned down though.  I guess I will have to wait until Thursday or next Monday to really know for sure, I hope it’s that soon anyway.  It’s becoming quite a nuisance and a hindrance.

Even watching out for it as I was, it still managed to sneak up, grab me, and just wear me down both physically and emotionally.  Not a very good day off.  Right now though, I sure don’t want to go to the office tomorrow.

What’s that you say?  Worried about tomorrow already?  Seems so. Hmm.  Now what good is it really doing me to worry and stress over tomorrow, tonight?  Can anything be solved?  Is the stress of tomorrow going to automatically make tomorrow seem bad even before it is tomorrow?  What am I stressed about, tomorrow?  I think I know the answer to all of those questions actually.  

You know, I’m not worried about tomorrow now.  Interesting.  A big weight was just lifted from my shoulders as I was sitting here typing this.  Completely unplanned.  That, my friends, is awesome!  This leads me to believe that either writing down or questioning my stress, could resolve it.  

Awareness.

Meditation. (coming after I post this)

Motivation.

Got me past one of the stresses of the night.  And you know, I didn’t drink today either.  

Hope you have found something in this post that will help you in your time of emotional distress and stress.  Also, if you haven’t read the 40 + different views of stress over at Middle Zone, I highly recommend it.  I’m not even halfway through all of the different posts, and I have found tons of good information.

Another positive for me today was I actually shared my feelings and concerns that I had with my girlfriend about our relationship.  We talked for about an hour, and I shared, she shared and not sure where it will lead at this point, but I’m sure it did nothing but help.   One thing I do know is I feel much better having talked to her.  I held some “stuff” in for way to long, it built up and I exploded a little, ok a lot, on Saturday and I really shouldn’t have.  Not going to let that happen again.  

As always, I’m very interested in your comments and opinions.  Please drop a line won’t ya.

Let me help you help yourself!

SC