My aunt loved to be miserable. The world was a dangerous place filled with potholes that could trip you up at every turn.

Some sure-fire ways to stay miserable are to recall every slight regularly, take every red light as a personal offense, decide what others who do for themselves should have been for you.

The ways to stay strong are through forgiveness, understanding, and compassion for self and others.

When old slights or traumas surface, acknowledge their presence, then let them go. Sure, they come back from time to time. But how much permission do you give them to ruin the day you are currently having?

In my personal practice, I am learning to welcome the things that cause me pain into my heart and to understand they are just part of life. In this simple act, I greatly reduce their power. It helps keep me strong and focused on what matters which is now.

It takes energy to hold on, catalog, and constantly recall all of life’s perceived unfairness. It takes equal amounts of energy to consciously love, forgive, and have compassion for self and others.

The first leaves you angry and defeated. The latter leaves you feeling lighter and more optimistic.

The choice is yours. If you’d like to know more about how to direct your energy, I have some exercises that can help you do just that. They are kind, patient, and confidential.

Mary