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The whole idea of paying attention to patterns is finding them, learning from them, keeping them or changing them. Nothing happens new. The NBA banned Clippers owner Sterling for making racist comments. What are the patterns of racism? This one man saying racist things and getting fired isn't fixing racism. It does provide an opportunity to people to say "I disapprove!" and therefore I am not racist. This is yet another repeating pattern. We can learn from this. We can change this. We can do better or it will be just another isolated incident.
Filling Corners With Words
I learned something this month. I know - right? How exciting!
I am an extrovert - No this isn't the learning - what I learned is something that my husband says all the time - I am filling the corners with words.
At times, Loren will tell me that he just needs to go underwater for a while - this will make him less stressed, less stimulated, and the quiet can repair something broken in him. I never understood what this really meant and to be honest the idea of me going swimming starts with me in a swimming suit so I haven't seen the calming affect.
This past month, I officially arrived at over stimulated - full - exhausted - the corners of my world were completely full of words. I couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was drowning in noise and words and information and.... and.... and.... and.... and.... YIKES!
As a uber-super extrovert I think it was important to notice this feeling. I called Loren that night and told him how I was feeling and what was happening. He smiled - the kind of smile you can hear on the phone - and said I should write about this for my monthly newsletter. If anyone can learn this lesson it can help others communicate. More importantly, if I can learn this lesson, it can make my relationship with my favorite introvert better.
Once my corners were filled, I need space, silence, time, distance, and calm to find my bearings. Like being underwater, everything get muted and helps one focus on a singular activity.
Taking one thing at a time. Breath control. Feeling the molecules of water slip down your frame and your muscles seemingly float along side my skeletal structure. Keep it simple. Swim. Sink. Float. Stroke. Kick. Roll. Turn. Be.
It is with this understand that I bring you the lesson. Being full of information and spewing it out until it fills the corners isn't building relationships. Being vulnerable enough to suit up can lead to peace, focus, and better relationships.
Thank you for letting me share.
Outside Source
16 People On Things They Couldn't Believe About American Until They Moved Here - A lot of people around the world have ideas of what America is like, possibly thanks to Hollywood, or their local news channels, and maybe from what they’ve heard from families and friends. But then, they came here, to the grand old United States and their minds exploded. Taken from Quora.
Wanna contribute something to this newsletter? Got a resource to share? Email my assistant at: hellothere@iamsocialjustice.com before the end of the month to be in an upcoming newsletter