D.Ahlam AL_Yafaei

اليوم أبدأ يومي بالامتنان

شكراً ياالله على اليوم الجديد المُبارك

امتناني لأنفاسي

امتناني لجسدي

امتناني لحياتي

أنا ممتن لحب عائلتي

امتناني للأشخاص الذين يحبونني والذين لي شرف حبهم

أنا ممتن للطعام والمأوى

امتناني للألم الذي علمني

والفرح الذي يرشدني

أنا ممتن للفرص التي تقدمها الحياة اليوم

أنا ممتن لفرص التعلم والنمو

أنا ممتن لقوة حب الذات

أنا ممتن لقوتي الداخليه

🫰🏼🩵

James, (my three year old grandson), “I DON’T like salmon!” when he saw that salmon was being served for dinner.

Meadow (his mom), “Well, this is special Alaskan pink fish.”

James (after taking a bite), “This is really yummy! I like Alaskan pink fish!”

Simply changing the words, changed James perception of what he was eating. (It was salmon. . . in other words - pink Alaskan fish.) This exchange made me think about the power of words in our lives. I thought about words that I have used to judge myself in the past and how, by simply shifting the words a bit, I am less critical of myself.

Sometimes just toning down a self-perceived “fault” or changing the words that you use to describe it can turn it into a virtue.

For example, instead of condemning yourself for being stubborn, think of “stubborn” as being “amplified determination” which is a wonderful quality that can be called upon when you need to complete a project or get through a challenging time.

The thought then changes from “I am stubborn” to “I am strong and determined.”

Here is a list of so-called “faults.” and other ways that they can be perceived, especially if they are toned down. It’s often just a matter of changing the words that you use and this, in turn, can change your life. For example:

• Flighty toned down can become Spontaneous.
• Penny-pinching toned down can becomes Thrifty.
• Resentment toned down is a Strong Sense of Justice.
• Perfectionism toned down can become a Commitment to Excellence.
• Procrastination toned down can become Divine Timing.
• Bluntness toned down can become Honest Self-Expression.
• Condescension toned down can become Discernment.
• Erratic toned down can become Spontaneity.
• Sarcasm toned down can become Sense of Humor.
• Self-centered toned down can become Cherishes Self.
• Jealousy toned down can become Placing High Value on Relationships.
• Forgetfulness toned down can become Not Obsessed with Present Time.
• Impatience tone down can become Eager.
• Shyness toned down can becomes Assessing, Thoughtful, Reflective.
• Controlling toned down can become Having a Handle on the Situation.
• Know-it-all toned down can becomes Abundant Knowledge Specialist.
• Always Follows the Rules toned down can become Believes in One’s Commitments.
• Overly Detailed toned down can become Routinely Precise.
• Talkative toned down can become Expressive.
• Impatience toned down can become Ready for Action
• Judgmental toned down can become Discerning
• Self-Sabotage toned down can become Cherishing All Parts of Self
• Anger toned down can becomes Fiery Passion
• Critical toned down can become Discerning
• Picky toned down can become Selective
• Manipulative toned down can become Influential Motivator
• Opinionated or Argumentative toned down can become Secure on Ones Beliefs
• Self-Victimizing toned down can become Sensitive to Inner Sense of Justice
• Confusion or Lack of Clarity toned down can become Open to All Possibilities

This is one of the strategies that I use to be gentler with myself . . . and I thought that I would share it with you.

With all my love and immense blessings,

Denise Linn

photo of James by Meadow Linn