Yesterday, in my chiropractic office, I found myself quoting repeatedly from the book "The Four Agreements", by Don Miguel Ruiz. If you have never read The Four Agreements, go get it! It is a short but life-changing book; it simplifies the instructions of life by giving us four rules to follow:
1. Be impeccable with your word.
Always tell YOUR truth. Say what you mean. Don't use words to speak against yourself or others. Use words to spread love, not gossip.
2. Don't take it personally. (my personal favorite)
What other people say and do is not about YOU. Others' actions are a projection of their reality. It's up to you to decide how it will affect you.
3. Don't make assumptions.
This agreement encourages communication and clarity. Find the courage to ask questions and express yourself and your needs clearly.
4. Always do your best.
"Your best" will change from moment to moment. Under the circumstances of the moment, if you know you are doing your best for that moment you will not have room for regret and judgement by your harshest critic - yourself.
As simple as these "commandments" are to understand, if you put them into play they can literally transform your life!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thank You Life, by Gary Van Warmerdam
Thank you Life
Thank you for this breath
Thank you for this inhale
Thank you for this exhale
Thank you for this Life
Thank you Heart
Thank you for this pounding
Thank you for this pulsing
Thank you for this Love
Thank you feet
Thank you for this walk
Thank you for this run
Thank you for the Dancing
Thank you Eyes
Thank you for the Sunrise
Thank you for the Sunset
Thank you for all the Colors
Thank you Ears
Thank you for The Music
Thank you for the Rhythm
And Thank you for the Stillness
Thank you Hands
Thank you for the Caressing
Thank you for the Clapping
And Thank you for the Holding
Thank you Mouth
Thank you for the nourishment
Thank you for the Wine
Thank you for the Kisses
Thank you Nose
Thank you for the Flowers
Thank you for the Pines
Thank you for the Sniffles
Thank you Arms and Shoulders
Thank you for the Carrying
Thank you for the Burdening
And Thank you for the Hugging
Thank you Voice
Thank you for the Expression
Thank you for the Word
Thank you for the Gift of Creation
Thank you for this Day
Thank you for the Light
Thank you for the Stars
Thank you for the Night
Thank you Self
Thank you for the Laughter
Thank you for the Play
Thank you for You
Thank you for the Emotions
Thank you for the Joys
Thank you for the Tears and Sorrows
Thank you for the Richness
Thank you for the Abundance that is.
Thank you for the Abundance that is given.
Thank you for the so many experiences and so many things
Thank you for this Dance.
Thank you Life
Gary van Warmerdam
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Bright Sider
Dr. Nina Englander's notes from Englander Chiropractic Center
Last year, one of my neighbors was interviewing for a big job promotion; CEO of a large organization. It was an inside move and everyone thought he was perfect for the job. In fact, he had been acting CEO of the organization for the prior 4 months while they did an outside CEO search.
After the interview, I saw him at the bus-stop and asked how it went. He replied, “Well, the interview went great and I didn’t get the job.” I was surprised and disappointed for him. My first question was, “Is there a bright side?”
He looked at me sideways. Then he replied, “There actually is a huge bright side. I know now that I can be the CEO of a large organization and succeed. Now I am hugely marketable AND I have a lot of confidence in myself!” When the bus pulled away, he added, “That’s really cool that the first question you asked me was about the bright side. You’re a ‘bright sider’, huh?”
I walked home thinking about the bright side. I believe that things happen for a reason. I try to find either a bright side or a lesson learned, and many times I find both.
In 2007, my husband and I put our house on the market. It took about nine months to sell our house. It was pretty hard to see the bright side of selling a house in a tanking real estate market. But I have to say, it was a lesson learned in many things; perseverance, letting go, and looking at money differently. We ended up selling to a lovely family, a bright side indeed, especially for our former neighbors. (And we ended up just fine, another lesson learned after all of our stressing!)
This winter, I had a patient come in with neck pain. She was sledding with her children and crashed into a tree. She could hardly move her neck. She had been a patient in my office in the past, but she had not been in for an adjustment in quite some time. She lay in pain on my table and told me that she had been trying to get back in for regular adjustments, but hadn’t been able to find the time. The injury got her back into the office!
I believe that sometimes the bright side of an injury is that it gets you back to chiropractic care. We sometimes have trouble getting motivated (or finding the time) to do good things for ourselves. We know we want to get our weekly or bi-weekly adjustments, our chiropractic tune-ups, but haven’t found the time. That injury can be just the ticket for us to not only get out of pain, but also get more serious about our health and do something about it. There’s the bright side!
This Blog brought to you by Englander Chiropractic Center - Wellness for children and adults made simple.
Last year, one of my neighbors was interviewing for a big job promotion; CEO of a large organization. It was an inside move and everyone thought he was perfect for the job. In fact, he had been acting CEO of the organization for the prior 4 months while they did an outside CEO search.
After the interview, I saw him at the bus-stop and asked how it went. He replied, “Well, the interview went great and I didn’t get the job.” I was surprised and disappointed for him. My first question was, “Is there a bright side?”
He looked at me sideways. Then he replied, “There actually is a huge bright side. I know now that I can be the CEO of a large organization and succeed. Now I am hugely marketable AND I have a lot of confidence in myself!” When the bus pulled away, he added, “That’s really cool that the first question you asked me was about the bright side. You’re a ‘bright sider’, huh?”
I walked home thinking about the bright side. I believe that things happen for a reason. I try to find either a bright side or a lesson learned, and many times I find both.
In 2007, my husband and I put our house on the market. It took about nine months to sell our house. It was pretty hard to see the bright side of selling a house in a tanking real estate market. But I have to say, it was a lesson learned in many things; perseverance, letting go, and looking at money differently. We ended up selling to a lovely family, a bright side indeed, especially for our former neighbors. (And we ended up just fine, another lesson learned after all of our stressing!)
This winter, I had a patient come in with neck pain. She was sledding with her children and crashed into a tree. She could hardly move her neck. She had been a patient in my office in the past, but she had not been in for an adjustment in quite some time. She lay in pain on my table and told me that she had been trying to get back in for regular adjustments, but hadn’t been able to find the time. The injury got her back into the office!
I believe that sometimes the bright side of an injury is that it gets you back to chiropractic care. We sometimes have trouble getting motivated (or finding the time) to do good things for ourselves. We know we want to get our weekly or bi-weekly adjustments, our chiropractic tune-ups, but haven’t found the time. That injury can be just the ticket for us to not only get out of pain, but also get more serious about our health and do something about it. There’s the bright side!
This Blog brought to you by Englander Chiropractic Center - Wellness for children and adults made simple.
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