Pattie Parsnips Ft. Canadian Health&Care Mall News - Part 3

Every morning I start my day with a “PEP talk”. The conversations I have with myself are full of Passion, Enthusiasm and Perseverance.
These daily “self-talk” are important because they keep me grounded and focused on the important things in my Life. Giving thanks for all that is good; they keep my thoughts in line – defending me against the negatives that try to tackle me; and they tell me to to keep striving – to make the necessary changes within so I will always be a winner in the game of Life.
Most days, I manage to plow my way through with feelings of peppiness but there are some days when I feel completely defeated and at a loss.

A few weeks ago I was hit with some devastating news that really took the wind out of my sails. In that moment it felt as if my life came to a screeching halt. The initial shock and anger overwhelmed me as I roamed through the house with my head in the clouds – dazed and in a trance-like-state, wondering how I was going to get through this. I just kept reviewing the scenario over and over in my mind, asking myself, “What went wrong? Why did this happen? Where do I go from here?

There used to be mornings when I’d wake up filled with expectations but in a matter of hours I would quickly feel anxiety, frustration, worry and angry because things didn’t go according to my plans.

It was always easy to get upset and frustrated when my expectations didn’t roll out the way I intended them to – only to end up feeling miserable and letting my misery fall on those around me.
Expectations I put on myself was always a struggle, constantly fighting to find a healthy balance. There’s now a strong need to search for some sort of a middle ground.

Last month I spontaneously made a trip to visit my dad who lives 1500 miles away. One morning I was talking to him on the phone – that afternoon I booked my flight and two days later I was sitting in his living room. It was easy to make excuses as to why I shouldn’t go..life is busy, it costs too much..blah, blah, blah.
As I get older I’m realizing more and more that there is never a perfect time to make time for those we love. I’m also learning that spontaneity often open doors to creating the most magical memories.

I recently watched the movie “Yes Man” starring Jim Carey. He plays a character that lives in his own little world – just existing and habitually saying the word NO to everything. He refuses all invites and isn’t willing to step outside his dull routine – finding himself feeling bored and lonely as he sits home night after night watching TV. His life changes after he attends a “Say YES To Everything” motivational conference. Going to the extreme, he says YES to absolutely everything and everyone who crosses his path. Of course he gets himself into some very funny predicaments but in the end he figured out how to find a healthy balance, which set him on a course to living a richer more fulfilling life.

Fridays are my my usual day for volunteering at the local nursing home, so I welcomed the nice change in having a day out on the town. It was an afternoon of taking some of the residents on a scenic drive with a stop for an old fashioned home cooked meal at an old school diner that was 20 miles away.

We had a bit of trouble getting one of the new residents to join us but with a little additional coaxing we won her over. She’s very nervous about leaving the safety of her surroundings – understandably, considering that she’s 93 years old, in a wheelchair and is 90% blind. We soon won her trust after reassuring her she was in good hands and she would be well cared for every step of the way. After everyone is secured in their seats on the van, I sit beside my new friend and immediately got her lost in talking about her family. It was obvious that she was starting to feel at ease and ready to enjoy her outing.

It’s that time of year when employees from all around the globe are discreetly picking names for the upcoming Secret Santa exchange. This annual fun event is a tradition at most companies as it’s a good way to get into the Christmas spirit, bond with co-workers, eat lots of treats, have a few laughs and see what your mystery Santa has bought you.

There was a time when I boycotted this fun event – not because I’m a scourge or my taste was so expensive that I would never be satisfied with a gift under $20. I avoided it because I just got tired of receiving gifts that were picked out of “last minute desperation”. I would get gifts such as Christmas mugs filled with chocolate or some Christmas wall hanger that looked like it was pulled from the bottom of an old storage bin – cleverly disguised behind pretty paper and a bow. This is what I call the “no effort – no imagination syndrome”. I’m sure a lot of you who are reading this are laughing because you too experienced the “wait until last minute and pick whatever I could find at a 24 hour convenience store” gift.

I recently fell into a part-time job that I love, Love, LOVE. A childhood friend and myself are working with local schools to promote education. Our goal is to reach out to adults who have fallen through the cracks after dropping out of middle school or high school – help them overcome their barriers/fears so they can start back on a path of building for a better tomorrow through education.

Our research is done; we have the support from community leaders who will help gather our target audience. So now comes the hard part,..speaking in front of groups of people.

Please forgive me, for I have been very lazy. Its been two weeks since my last post. I accuse myself of finding comfort in mindless distractions.

While drudging my way through an unavoidable “family” distraction – I found solace in getting lost in “time wasting” distractions that take me away from my commitments and goals. So instead of making time for writing and other things that I need to focus on, I’d spend all my spare time watching TV, surfing the Internet – chasing after celebrity gossip, chatting online, texting and Skyping family and friends. I was doing whatever I could to avoid doing the things that required discipline, focus and concentration.