When I was 14 I became addicted to a batch of third generation self-help tapes by Jack Canfield and Zig Ziglar. Little did I know these tapes were designed to help motivate sales men, not an adolescent girl trying to find her footing in an unkind world. But they worked. Every time I listened to the tapes I got a high believing I could do anything - if I worked hard enough. This belief remains with me today, but probably to the extreme - I regularly set rediculously high standards for myself and others, and have the most in-depth to-do lists you’ve ever seen (I’ve even written lists of other lists to write). At the moment, I am winning the battle against my list, checking items off without adding (too many) new ones. The big progress for the past week: New fan installed in the living room, courtesy of my hubby; New employee Diana safely arrived from Mexico and is in training; Bella is finally house-trained and learning to sit & stay. And another item not on my list, re-learning that being stressed and unhappy makes me a difficult spouse and friend. It is my job to take care of my physical and mental health to be the best companion, employee and human so I can do good work for this world. Because no one likes an unhappy Westi, including me.
