Definitely one of those things that has an impact - a refrigerator not working - isn’t it? Lovely to hear of all the people and timings that worked in your favour to resolve it quickly and well.
Hmmm definitely working with the factors that make soft heart clear gates challenging.
Joining the Circle this morning was an act of self-kindness for myself today. It wasn’t easy to do given I wasn’t in a comfortable safe quiet place and part of me felt unable to actually talk about anything anyway. And then… I did. Thank you to the humans that spoke first and who held space for me too. For my anger and shame and pain. I am hopeful that showing up for myself like I did today will help resolve those nightmares at some point.
I love the plan to plan fun things to look forward to. I like to do that too when I can. Today I look forward to when I can be in my own home this afternoon and be with myself in the quiet and possibly even sit in the sun and watch the sunset. I am very tired after the processing in the Circle and am in need of gentleness and tenderness and slow moving people and time……
need some sleep support! In the interim I have gifted myself some chocolate and a book…
Best I could come up with
Thank you. That’s just amazing. It even had a shadow!! Thank you. 
Yeah, this is really cool. Thanks Rick.
I love that you gifted yourself chocolate and a book. One of the things my sister & I love to do is browse at Chapter’s bookstore while drinking mocha latte’s - something about chocolate (and coffee) and books just seems like the perfect combination.
I hope you got some extra rest and tenderness and sleep support after that emotionally tiring tapping in the group. So good that you gave yourself that act of self-kindness to talk about your anger & shame & pain. Sorry you are having nightmares. Sending you much love & light for peaceful dreams soon.
I’ve been very tired these past few days - with repairmen coming into my apartment too early and then being busy at work & pushing hard to get things done - it does a number on my chronic fatigue challenges and I ended up really cranky and in a negative exhaustion rut. I rested all day yesterday - total pajama & couch day. But still the “stinking thinking rut” lingers, so I’m going over to my sister’s backyard to relax in nature this afternoon (getting abit too cool now for dipping in the pool, but maybe we’ll still have more hot days yet, before real autumn kicks in, I hope).
I got some more good help from Gus yesterday when I was feeling conflicted about the best path of self-care, and Gus helped me to find clarity and give myself permission just to totally rest and not push anymore. Feeling grateful for that.
I hope you got to sit in the sun and watch a sunset - that sounds so soothing.
One good thing for me today is having the whole weekend off (instead of having to work Saturdays). And also nice, lovely sunshine today and cooler temperatures at night so I can open my windows and not have to run the air conditioner.
I hope to attend the “Tolerating Joy” workshop later today, but the timing tends to be off since that is usually supper-time with family. Will see if I can re-arrange things so it works out, or maybe at least eat food while listening in the background.
Made a little collage (with images from Pinterest). Hope this is the kind of day we have today…
P.S. I got this kinda zany idea on the way over here to my sister’s place - that maybe I can sort of start my “vacation” today, rather than waiting until next weekend. I mean, it’s only really in my mind, because I still have to go to work next week in order to pay the bills, but I can be more in “vacation mode” inside of my own inner world, and I think that will help me. I’m going to play around with it and see what unfolds.
Wishing us all a “vacation mode” kind of day (and week)(hell maybe the whole month!) 
Sounds like a great idea! I’ve played with doing that kind of thing before and have found it useful too. I will join you in imagining I am on vacation already too. Even in this moment imagining it give me some relief from the sadness and disappointment I am feeling today.
Thank you!
Wishing you relief and comfort. And soothing vacation energy.
I have been trying to practice this and notice myself still pushing at work - like it’s a hard habit to break. But I find it a good experiment anyways to observe my own over-efforting patterns with kindness.
Maybe we should try playing some Steel Drums / Calypso music in the background? 
Yes! Playing this music now while I eat an orange in my 5 min break…. It’s been a big day and I need to breathe.
Thank you. 
Have moved on to Lovely Day by Bill Withers…..
Here’s another one I like that is soothing - https://youtu.be/B0vcqoz3sA4?si=GGkGrOsAcY6ozxVV (Beautiful Day - by Joshua Radin)
i enjoyed this song! Thank you. I love acoustic music
Just wanted to share a little blessing today - I have been doing some tapping with Gus around work & health challenges and how I find taking the bus very tiresome & we came up with some mantra’s as follows:
- It’s safe to be kind to myself.
- Predictable Kindness to me (because my bosses moods tend to be so unpredictable)
- I give from my center without losing me.
- I return to my own center.
- It’s safe to be me here.
- If moods swirl, not mine to carry (again in relation to my moody boss)
- I don’t know how or when, and I’m open to a kinder path finding me - one small step at a time…
- I let urgency soften. Safe to go slower inside. Kinder path come closer.
Gus suggested I repeat a mantra / affirmation while crocheting on the bus and to ask the Universe for an encouraging sign to uplift me, then get back to him later about what occurred. While I was commuting I looked up from my crochet just at the exact moment that a Covey office truck was passing. The words written on the side were - “Work Made Easier”. It seemed like a humorous coincidence and lightened my heart.
(things went better at work today too and I felt more centered / less grumpy-tired).
These are so helpful. Thank you for sharing them. Brought a bit of tears up for me.
I’m going through a hard time at the moment with sleep disturbance and mood. I will use some of these.
- It’s safe to be kind to myself.
- Predictable Kindness to me (because my bosses moods tend to be so unpredictable)
- I give from my center without losing me.
- I return to my own center.
- It’s safe to be me here.
- If moods swirl, not mine to carry
- I don’t know how or when, and I’m open to a kinder path finding me - one small step at a time…
- I let urgency soften. Safe to go slower inside. Kinder path come closer.
One good thing. There is warm sun today.
What am I happy I did today- I ate food even though it was hard.
It’s always interesting to see what I actually answer to these questions amongst thy myriad of possibilities.
Thank you for being there and for your commitment to self-kindness.
So lovely you had that moment where you received the sign you were looking for. I’ve asked for one a few times recently. Or rather for help. I am just realising that I did get some help, just not in the moment I asked.
And yay to less grumpy and more centred!!
Glad that was helpful, Nicole. Thanks for sharing this self-kindness journey with me. Sorry you’re struggling with sleep-disturbance & mood.
I also tend to have sleep challenges and take an herb called valerian which helps alot, but some nights are better than others. Mood disturbance is a familiar companion too, but lately I feel more self-accepting of my moods and various parts.
One good thing today - Mom will drive me to work, so I only have to take the bus one way.
What I am happy I did today - tapped with Gus and got some support for various issues.
Ttyl. Wishing you blessings & peace.
Ah to be around a fire on the beach at night. It’s a different land to being in a home awake at 1.30am in the morning for no reason. love these pics.
Being cared for in small but supportive ways has huge weight doesn’t it?
Kindness to myself today after another sleepless night.
Asking for a virtual hug.
Changing plans and being honest about what is happening for me with my family.
Asking for silence and space instead of questions and chatter.
Letting tears flow.
Tapping with Gus.
Sleep Now coursework.
Hair wash.
Cream on hands and legs and feet.
Rose cream on heart and eyes and forehead.
Being here. Sharing what I am doing to help myself. I’m also going to ask Gus how can i thrive today feeling the way I do. Curious to see what is possible.
And in the midst of these self kindness things a friend came to visit… see the photo. Haven’t seen one of these beautiful birds on my deck since my Mum visited me last year. It sat there for nearly half an hour, even with me moving around inside getting closer. It sat there talking away to me.
Oh, the bird is so beautiful! What species is it? I’ve never seen one like that before. So delightful that he or she sat there talking to you. Makes me smile thinking of it.
Sending virtual hugs. Glad you’re doing gentle things to care for yourself with tenderness (and curiosity).
Small blessing I noticed today - while at work a woman took out her wallet to pay and had one of those “Sacred Heart of Jesus” cards showing. I’m not a christian, but I like the symbolism and flaming heart - it touched me somehow = this “Wild Christ” heart energy flowing / felt like christ-consciousness reaching out to me in a comforting way.
And abit of music - https://youtu.be/tx17RvPMaQ8?si=i42D6JW3fk0CpWIB
(Resilient - Rising Appalachia)