Centering: Taking Care of You

This post continues my philosophical and spiritual journey:  Centering.  You, too, can center your Self.

Finding my center, my self, again has been a year-long achievement.  I am honestly and amazingly happy with who I am today.  I recognize I am truly 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.  That quote, entitled "Attitude", is not mine by the way.  I have to credit Charles Swindoll; a blessing, whoever he is.  That quote found me during a period in my life that was the worst-of-times and best-of-times all rolled into one (1996); and that philosophy also helped me navigate within his angry silence the last year that my husband and I were together.

It is so true.  It has been my philosophy about what makes up my "self" and my sense of strength through so much.  It has given me many opportunities to successfully swim with my head above water while the chaos of life kept trying to pull me under.  

My state of being and frame of mind are my own.  No one has the responsibility nor the power, unless I give it to them, to affect my emotional self, my center.  I have a responsibility to me to protect that center, to put me first and foremost, or I will do no one else any good in this life.  

Without any intention of doing it, people we care about in our lives and because we care what they think, their actions and words can cause us to create inside ourselves some grievous emotional hurt, send us reeling; often without any intention on their part, and sometimes without any realization we have become affected by what they innocently said or did. Conversely, other people do not make us happy.  


Each of us has control over our emotions.  We perhaps make subconscious decisions what emotions we use, but they are still our decisions.  You just have bring yourself to a point to want to effect change if an emotion is not doing you any good.  I usually ask myself, "How is that working for you?" and if I find it's not working, I need to change.  More importantly, I am now much quicker to realize when change is needed.

No other person "makes" someone happy.  No other person should have to carry that responsibility, most importantly.  It's a total misnomer.  Rather, it's up to each of us to find people and things and activities that allows us to feel that emotion. 

I am centered.  I am fine.  I will always be fine.  I am my own worst enemy, and my own best safety net.  I am only 10% what happens to me and over 90% how I react to it.  That is my center.  God, and staying centered, will always be my strength no matter what happens on my path through life.