Emotional Aikido: A Great Way to Handle Stressful Moments

   Hi everyone,

I appreciate you dropping by. I've moved. I'm sorry you missed many postings I've made at the new digs since January.

I'm at an easier to remember address. Here it is: The Attitude of Gratitude Inn.  Please click on this link. It will take you to my new place.  The other place has an alphabetical inndex and three hundred and fifty additional postings that are easily accessible. I miss those of you who used to drop by this address. I hope to see you there.

To give you an idea of what you've been missing, the post below is something I re-posted last Thursday.
    I wish you a grate and grateful spring, The Innkeeper

       How is everyone? 

I'm happy you dropped by. I wrote this April 27th last year. I want to share it with those of  you who haven't dug around in the dusty boxes-----the archives of this inn. 

Taking Care of Ourselves 

       I just got in from giving a talk.  I spoke on growing in our power and integrity versus
whining. Afterwards, I spent time with friends who showed up to hear me. We visited a cafe.  I sipped steamed milk (I didn't want to being wired when I got to bed). A woman and I chatted about her unfaithful boyfriends, death, sociopathy and verbal Aikido.
Emotional, Verbal Aikido

       Aikido was my description to an experience I had earlier in the day.  It's staying present, when experiencing negative energy coming our way. It's deflecting it, without harming the perpetrator.  It's not allowing another person's unhealthy comments or behavior to harm us. Verbal Aikido protects our emotionally well-being.

      This type of emotional martial art is about keeping our emotional balance, responding, nor reacting while in the midst of a tense situation. It allows us to maintain our emotional sobriety. Emotional safety is likelier when exercising boundaries. When assassinated verbally, it's helpful saying,

"We need to put a bookmark in this conversation. I need to process what you've said."

And then run outside and scream. :-> It's okay doing so, if it helps.  I process difficult moments with others by talking it over with my Balcony People. (For more information, click here.) I might exercise or journal about the situation.  Spending time with God, yielding frustrations over to His care, also helps for many. 

        Today, I was with someone who had an emotional meltdown and was abusive. Knowing what to do, when it happened, made this innkeeper grateful. I wasn't Porky Pig.  I didn't say,"budda, budda, budda....," stammering because I was caught off guard by this person's unpleasantness.
        At first, it may not be easy practicing detachment, but life is more enjoyable when we don't take mistreatment by others personally. It's a statement about them, not us. For further insight into Emotional Bullies, click here or here.
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       A second bully, the one I wrote about a month ago, showed up where I spoke this evening. By the time I had finished visiting with members in the audience, he was gone. It was a relief not needing to be vigilant. 

       I'm tired, I'm going to bed, after sharing my thanks for today. The emotional demands of the day wore me out. I'm in H.A.L.T.. I'll take care of myself by hitting the hay.
My Gratitudes for Tonight:

1. I'm speaking Friday on Having a Spiritual Awakening.  I'm grateful for the support of several friends. They will be there.

2. I like writing. It's forcing me to be concise. It's more work than I imagined, before opening this inn. The results of writing are not ephemeral, like a talk. Life slows down in a luxurious way. I take the time to inventory my thoughts when I write. I value the resultant mental clarity. 

3. I'm grateful for the strength I receive when I settle down, keep my emotional balance and spend time in His Presence.

"Be still and know I'm God."  Ps 46:10