permission to hope...

Somewhere along the way in my growing up... I became a pessimist... one of those always waiting for the other shoe to drop... proverbially speaking...

Whatever the reason... a book has caused me to look at that aspect of my inner life... my fear of joy and hope... fear of disappointment...

Without reckoning with our emotions... our pasts... our hurts... the writer says we cannot live wholeheartedly...

One of the truisms of wholehearted living is You either walk into your story and own your truth, or you live outside of your story, hustling for your worthiness. Walking into a story about falling down can feel like being swallowed whole by emotion. Our bodies often respond before our conscious minds, and they are hardwired to protect --- to run or to fight.

---Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, Rising Strong

In response to the hard knocks of life... I've chosen to beat myself up... stay down... rather than give someone... or something... the pleasure of doing it for me...

Therefore... I find myself denying myself... joy... and... hope...

Dr. Brown goes on to say... we either reckon with emotions or off-load them in varied unhealthy ways...

So how do we reckon with emotion rather than off-load it? What I've learned from the research and tried to put into practice in my own life sounds way simpler than it is: Give yourself permission to feel emotion, get curious about it, pay attention to it, and practice. This work takes practice. Awkward, uncomfortable practice.

---Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, Rising Strong

Today... I wrote my first permission slip... and to make the whole process even more uncomfortable... I'm sharing my attempt here with you...!

Self: You have permission to be joyful & optimistic today! 

The book is secular... but truth is truth... and it all belongs to God...

Emphasizing the truth... I added Scripture to validate the permission...

For hope does not disappoint us because God

has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit

whom He has given us.

Romans 5:5

He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all,

how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I carried permission to hope around with me today...

it made a difference having it near... reminded me of truth...

of reckoning I need to do... from past falls...

Moving toward rising strong...

one awkward step... at... a... time...

Do you have emotions you need to reckon with...?

Emotions effect our hearts... 

the combination of our minds... wills... emotions...

they are the well-spring of life...

Join me in asking God to reveal... and guide... in dealing with the reckoning...

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23