Remember That Happy Feeling? ...

Back to baking those cookies, aside from the holiday baking, I make cookies every week. Until this year I’ve baked for Bryce and his classmates; this year Miss Chan began first grade and she decided that she too wanted Grama Sweetheart to deliver cookies to her and her classmates. It goes without saying, its fun. Bryce’s classmates see me away from the school and say “Hi Grandma!” – A few parents have a questioned look and their children quickly respond saying that I’m Bryce’s Grandma and I bring cookies to school.

The office staff and teachers eagerly look forward to my deliveries. Heck, I’ve been showing up at Bryce’s school for nearly 5 years. Next year he moves on to middle school and I’m imagining he’ll believe he’s too old for Grams to be bringing cookies to school – but then who knows.

Life is about having fun. It’s about developing traditions and memories.

I see the light sparkle in their eyes (adults too!) and their enthusiasm is endearing. My smile grows from ear to ear as I hear them say “thank you” or “can I have one more?”

Shift gears a moment with me. There are those times when life sucks and my attention gets high-jacked and my personality becomes a prisoner to all sorts of negative thinking. Yep, I know better and being a teacher and having all of this experience, how could I let this happen – it’s a default pattern and I’m human. I can get stuck, catch myself and implement the tools I know to work.

This evening I was chatting with my oldest daughter about her hubby having two job interviews tomorrow. She said that she’s really hoping he gets a job offer and she also shared that she’s said her prayers. I said, “Do you remember last year when he went back to work” (he’d been on unemployment for several months), she said yes. I then asked her if she could remember how she felt when she learned the good news; her reply was that she was happy! I suggested she bring the emotions of that experience to the present and implement them into this situation. (We’ll call this an emotional link).

Without thinking, it’s real easy to slide into a default pattern of being worried and stressed.

Thank goodness for a different choice.

We have a wealth of great experiences to link to. By linking the emotions of those past experiences to the present, we set our minds to be relaxed, have fun and success. We’re able to create new neuropath ways in the brain and with practice we can over come the default pattern.

Prior to putting these thoughts here, I was beginning to stress. And then I was reminded of how great I feel when I’m delivering cookies, the words flowed and the stress disappeared. It is so cool the way it works!

My youngest daughter is expecting, could be I’ll be in the cookie baking business for a while to come.

I’m wondering how much of a prisoner you are to stress, worry and anxiety in your life. Take a post-it- note and write a word that is a link to a happy time, place the note where it will act as a visual reminder and give that a thought.

When you’re ready to let go, try this process. It is so freeing, you’ll see!

Smiles to you,
Glenda

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