 DO YOU SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE? The store was busy. I was in a hurry. When I hustled to the front to pay for the few items I had in my cart, I thought it was my lucky day! Many checkout lines were open and the lines were long, but line number 13 had only one customer. I quickly zipped my cart into position. The clerk was happily smiling and scanning the purchases for the couple in front of me. Then I realized the struggle. The clerk, who was hearing impaired, was trying to communicate with the couple through sign language and loud hard to distinguish words. I watched as she demonstrated unlimited patience and began pointing to the screen on the register to communicate. The couple, relieved to be done with their transaction, hurried away. I realized why her checkout line was short. People were avoiding her. I pushed my cart forward, unloaded my items, smiled and waved “Hi,” to the clerk. Her grin was huge, her happiness bold, as she waved back and said, “Hello” in her loud grating voice. Knowing only a few words in sign language I awkwardly did my best to speak her language. Her motions asked if she could put my items together in one bag. I put my fists together, thumbs up, and pulled them away from each other in what I remembered to mean “apart.” She paused and looked at me with the excitement of a child. Her smile widened, her eyes connected with mine and I saw her face grow into a sparkle. I was speaking “her” language. We moved through the payment process with a few circles on my chest to communicate, “please” and as we finished I put my hand to my lips and then brought it down palm up to her and said, “Thank You,” in both her languageand mine. Whose language are you missing? How often do we miss the opportunity to really see someone, look in their eyes, connect with who they are inside and speak their language? Do you get down on the floor and talk to a child at their eye level? Or do you talk down to them from a height they can only imagine being? Do you speak their language? Do you take the time to talk to those in your life circle about what is important? Do you know what makes them sing in the sunshine and cry in the dark? Do you know their pain? Do you speak their language? Do you show kindness to the elderly, homeless or marginalized people? Or do you sweep by them feeling like they are a nuisance? Do you speak their language? Do you stop when you come home and acknowledge your dog’s tail wagging dance of love when they see you? Or do you brush right by them to a task you feel is more important? Do you speak their language? It was my lucky day. By the clerk’s reaction to my effort at sign language, I believe she felt acknowledged, seen, heard and validated. Isn't that what we all want? What she didn't know was that she had given me a gift. Because of her, I stopped long enough in my busy day to really look at another, to notice our differences and yet stand on equal ground, to blend her form of communication with mine-- as she did her best to speak my language and I did my best to speak hers. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “Take time to acknowledge others. See them, hear them, and speak their language!” YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to help you see all the people in this world and to encourage you to "speak their language".... and they may just speak yours! Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information.
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ARE YOU 100% COMMITTED?
Have you ever made a decision to go on a diet; stop drinking; begin an exercise program; get a degree; end a toxic relationship or make the relationship you are in more loving? And then, you either never begin or you follow through for a while and then quit. It must be your lack of willpower or other things got in the way… or you believe you are just not good enough to accomplish your dreams, right? Wrong. None of these cause you to fail. You are not successful because you are not 100% committed. Without being 100% committed you will never follow through to reach those goals. Without being 100% committed to your effort (no matter what it is) you have really never made a decision in the first place. You see, a decision is a conclusion or resolution reached after consideration of the work required and the outcome desired. If you are not 100% committed to your dream or goal you haven’t decided anything… you are just thinking about it, wondering…pondering. With that kind of wishy-washy mindset, your brain will find all the loopholes and escape routes to keep you from taking the actions required to be successful. Make a decision. Believe in it. Feel it. Commit 100%. No excuses. You will be amazed at your success! Pennie’s Life Lesson: “To be successful at anything you must make a decision, believe in it, FEEL it, and commit to it 100% - no excuses!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to examine some of your past decisions and goals. Were you successful at accomplishing them? Maybe this is why. 
Q-Tip It!
Years ago when my husband and I were dating I learned a powerful lesson. He would occasionally say something like, “I need a couple of days.” Of course I immediately took this personally and thought something was wrong. I would call him and stop by his house to see if he was okay, after all I must have said or done something to upset him. He would assure me I hadn't and that it didn't have anything to do with me or “us.” I soon realized he was right. It didn't have anything to do with me. We just have different ways of recharging. He needs downtime. He needs a quiet respite to rest, relax and regenerate. For me, when I need recharging I feed on the energy of being with people. Talking, laughing and companionship regenerates me, so of course when he would tell me he needed time to himself I felt pushed away. I took it personally. How many times in life do we take things personally and the reality is that it has nothing to do with us? Whenever a stressful situation occurs many of us default immediately to the negative. We blame ourselves. Let’s look at it differently. Let go of the immediate assumption and realize it isn't always about us…it could always be something else that causes someone to be cranky, in a hurry or snap at us. Here is a trick to help with this self-inflicted internalization of stress. Q-tip it! Yes, Q-tip it! Quit Taking It Personally! As a reminder, take a couple of Q-Tips and tape them to your computer, your bathroom mirror, or your car visor. Look at them often and when something happens in life that sets off your internal blame game, remember to Q-Tip it! The lesson I learned from my (now) husband all those years ago has saved me from many hours of needless worry. It isn't always about me. And guess what, now we recharge using what works for both of us. We recharge together, laughing, talking and in the quiet space of each other’s companionship. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie’s Life Lesson: “When the stress of life sets off your internal blame game, Q-tip it! Quit Taking It personally!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
YOUR TURN...
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to think about why things upset you... are you taking it personally when it has nothing to do with you? Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below . And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. 
IMPORTANT
ENOUGH I didn’t feel quite right when I woke up, but I had a “To Do” list that was heavier than the increased throbbing of my head. I hustled through my shower and scurried my two dogs to the groomer. I met a friend for a quick breakfast and then my plan included grocery shopping, blog writing, cleaning out a closet… the list went on. My husband would be returning from a trip just in time to make our dinner reservations. It was a busy day. But none of that happened. My stomach immediately began swirling after breakfast and my body quickly began a downward spiral. I am not one to get sick. I NEVER get sick. Well, more accurately, I NEVER allow myself the time to be sick. Typically I push through days like this ignoring the discomfort of a headache or a cold. Rarely do I ever admit that I don’t feel well. I decided I would go back home and lay down for an hour and then I would be fine and right back into my list. I called my husband and told him my plan. He said, “Why put an hour limit on it… just go back to bed until you feel better.” It was a head game for a while with that voice telling me, you don’t feel that bad, you have things to do, people depending on you.. get up ….GET UP! The concept of actually allowing myself time to heal was foreign to me, but as the hour turned into two and my body was continuing into a dark circle of ugliness I conceded. I was going to do it this time. I was going to sink into the safety of my bed allowing my body to heal instead of pushing it as if it wasn’t important enough to take care of..as if "I" wasn’t important enough to take care of. My husband called and said he was coming home early to pick up the dogs, cancel the dinner reservation and take care of everything. The urge to argue was muffled by my meek, “ok.” I needed help. My head sunk further into the comfort of my pillow and my body deepened into the cocoon of my bed. I allowed myself to rest. After 7 hours I attempted hot tea, a piece of toast and juice. Then it was back to my bed for 12 hours. As the sun came up on day two I moved to the couch. The concept of being vertical was not yet in my body’s plan. Although I encourage others to practice self-care, sometimes I am not very good at it myself. After 48 hours of blurred memories are behind me one concept became very clear. It is ok to ask for help. It is ok to be sick. It is ok to allow your body time to rest, restore and heal. I am important enough to be taken care of. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Pennie Life Lesson: “Listen to your body. Allow yourself time to rest, restore and heal.” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My intent in sharing this with you is to encourage you to be kind to yourself. Take care of yourself. Allow yourself time to heal.
YOUR TURN - Share your thoughts and experiences relating to this post in a comment below. And please feel free to email me at: [email protected]. Thank you! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2013-2018 Pennie Hunt This was written and produced by Pennie Hunt. Feel free to forward this post. Please keep the entire message intact, including contact, logo, and copyright information. |
AuthorThere is a certain magic about where I live both physically and spiritually – on the crossroads of Spirit and Brave. Archives
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PLEASE NOTE: This page does not provide medical or legal advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site and links to other sites, Pennie Hunt provides general information for inspiration, encouragement and educational purposes only. The information provided in this site, or through links to other sites, is not a substitute for legal, medical, or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call or the advice of your lawyer, physician or other healthcare provider. |