A New Way of Thinking

I know I haven't posted in a couple of years (shame on me!) but felt I should get back on it and let you know what's been happening.

Cathy and I have chosen to move toward a plant-based diet (actually I should say 'plant-based lifestyle,') meaning minimizing that amount of animal products we use, whenever possible. It is an ongoing process and we're not giving ourselves brain-damage trying to do it all at once, but I definitely notice some changes, not only in the way we feel, but also in the way we shop. I now pass right by the meat department without even looking, and have even been able to, for the most part, avoid buying hot dogs (a weakness of mine, not just because I like them, but they are easy and convenient.) Which brings us to the other side of it: fast food. We're finding that weening ourselves from fast food is the toughest part of this. You're not always able to prepare something at home, and, unfortunately, our budget hasn't allowed us to be able to order anything that is out there. We're still trying to work that out, but stay tuned - I'm sure a bunch of people have the same problem, and I will do my best to examine this problem, as well as go deeper into the story of how we came to this lifestyle-changing decision.

Being Like Water

I came to the realization that I was letting the stressful situations of my life rule over my peace of mind. Remembering what I had read in a book about the Tao Te Ching, I decided to think of myself as having the qualities of water. That is, knowing who I am, and letting whatever situation that comes up in my life be the way it is.

Water always flows to the place of least resistance. However yielding, it always has the power over it's surroundings - not through force, but through patient flowing.

I have always thought of myself as a laid-back kind of person, and believe that that is the way others see me as well. But, I have not always been comfortable with my way of being, at least in my mind, especially when I am presented with a situation that goes against a core belief. I always have the tendency to agree with whomever I am talking to, but then feel the stress that follows, because if that person was talking about something that didn't follow my heart, there would be conflict within my soul, causing the stress. I would often question those core beliefs.

When I think of being like water, it creates a great comfort within me, because I know I don't have to have stressful thoughts to disagree with someone, and I know I don't need to to react to something they said, either. It also helps me appreciate their point of view, leaving me free to have a friendly conversation about it - or not. It is also a very simple concept and easy habit to get into.