R.A.D.I.C.A.L. Thoughts

"Inactivity is the fertile ground in which flourish the seeds of despair and self-pity."
How to Make Yourself Miserable by Dan Greenburg

The quote above comes from the book's chapter entitled, "Misery About the Past, the Present and the Future." The heading says "Optimum Brooding Conditions." How many times during this midlife divorce process have you sat and stared out the window or lay in your bed staring at the ceiling or sat on the porch just sitting there brooding? I know I have done that more than I want to admit ... especially in the early stages. It was like I had been slapped in the face or punched in the stomach and I was dumbfounded. I think when I got a little past the incredibly sad part of recovery and on to the mad part that I began to get moving again. Brooding gets a hold on you and it won't let go. I would brood in the car. I would ruminate while I was doing something. My mind would just dawdle in and around the whole situation for hours. Brooding doesn't do anything but cause misery. It's not looking for solutions. It's not planning for recovery. It's just an energy-sapping, depression-causing waste of time. When you start to brood, get up and DO something. Do anything constructive or positive. Bake cookies for a neighbor. Clean out your closet. Start you Holiday shopping. Go to the bookstore or the farmer's market. Fix yourself a wonderful meal, get a great uplifting book and read it while you eat. Just do anything worthwhile and consciously think about what you are doing. If you are serious about making yourself miserable, brood. If you want to feel better, get up and do something good and be thankful you can do it!

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you."
Philippians 4:8-9 (The Living Bible)