Imagine that every morning in the kitchen at work there is a dirty dish left in the sink. You don’t know who it belongs to, but every day, it’s there crusting over in an otherwise squeaky-clean room. You’re frustrated that others aren’t acting according to your standards. Finally, after a particularly aggravating meeting with your boss, you walk into the kitchen and find the same dish. This time, a coworker walks in behind you, and you spin around and say, “Can you believe this disgusting dish? How lazy can someone be?” Your coworker, with his arm in a cast, looks at you and asks if you could help him wash his dish today. He explains that his cast comes off on Friday, and after that, it won’t be an issue anymore.
Letting go of frustrations starts with changing ourselves, not others. I create my own emotional tension by expecting others to meet my expectations. If I truly want peace, I have to stop practicing my defects of character that keep me stuck in a cycle of control and dissatisfaction. Spiritual growth requires me to examine my internal experience, understand my emotions, and accept that I can’t control anything beyond my fingertips.
Regular inner reflection helps make this process a habit I can return to whenever I feel off. It's like taking a walk with my dogs during my stroke and vestibular recovery. I don’t stray too far from home, so when I’m not feeling well, or when my head and eyes start to hurt, I know I can get back home quickly. Spiritually, it’s the same. When I’m emotionally off balance, I can "retreat back home" more easily if I’m well-practiced at it. And the steps of my program help guide me there.
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For more information, visit me at recoverydailypodcast.com or email me at rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com.
Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling
For more information about vestibular disorders, visit https://vestibular.org.
#EmotionalSobriety #SpiritualGrowth #LettingGo #SelfReflection #MindfulLiving #RecoveryJourney #OvercomingFrustration #EmotionalFitness #PersonalGrowth #SoberLiving
