The Gears Are Turning...

I have had two major things doing circular cycles (hmmm that is redundant) in my head today. Sometimes old truths can be learned fresh and applied in our lives. Today has been one of those days. Here are 2 truths that I learned fresh on this day.

1) I spoke with a friend this evening that I hadn't had the pleasure of connecting with in a few months. Through our "catching up and re-connecting", I found that his life and the lives of those around him had not been going in the direction I had pictured all this time. The things I had learned were shocking and eye opening and grieved me that I had been so disconnected.
Truth: assumptions almost always mis-guide my perceptions.

2) Yesterday at a monthly leadership meeting, we discussed the guidelines for being an effective team. One point that was highlighted was the importance of being led by joy. We have all heard that we choose our emotions. We choose to be joyful or bitter. No one points a gun to our head and says, "You MUST be joyful/angry now!" It has been a rule that I have tried to live by for so long.....move on from a situation and don't dwell on it. Girl, choose to not let it rule you and be joyful in the moment.

The funny thing is that over time, some people have "counseled" me and said I am not being truthful to myself when I do that. Instead I must embrace hurt and pain for what it is and live in it for a bit. That has always felt uncomfortable to me...like a bad shoe. Why stop time and wallow in ick?

Instead of walking through that thought though, silly me, I would over-analyze myself. Am I fake? Why do I want to be happy? Am I not emotionally stable because I rob myself of holding onto junk? (I know, it is insane the conversations I get into in my head)
Truth: Don't let other people set my joy thermostat.