DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP

Yep, that's what the experts on Happiness tell students like me 'Don't Beat Yourself Up' - Unless I was into some 'do-it-yourself sadomasochism' I wouldn't want to 'beat myself up' - would you? C'mon Happiness Experts...you can do better than that! Polly said that I should just listen to her instead. Will she teach me some tricks on how to be effervescently and joyfully happy? - just like Tammy the farmer's daughter, and herself of course - not forgetting Dolly Parton, and my all-time favourite gal Bette Midler. I want a smile like Bette's. I heard she does a lot of volunteering work in the Bronx. Hmmm....

Sainthood is back-firing on me at the moment... Actually Pollyanna just corrected me. She said it was not back-firing, just testing my mettle, and how earnest I was to change. She keeps reminding me that there is no gain, without pain. I told her Mark Twain kept his options opened when he said "I don't like to commit myself to heaven or hell - I have friends in both places."

Well the road to sainthood was certainly paved with pot holes yesterday! What a DEEZASTER befell me. I was on my way into town to drop off the sackful of coins to the church. I stopped off at Kevin's office to do some work beforehand. Then as I was moving the coins from the front seat to the trunk (not to attract robbers!) LO AND BEHOLD... Noooooo - the bloody bag burst! hundreds and thousands and millions of coins burst forth like vomit all over my car, on the ground, and everywhere! Imagine if you had to pay pennies for a piece of bling, would it make you change your mind? That thought went through my mind (maybe that's why it happened!)

My false nails are off (non-essentials) so my real nails are like plastic. I couldn't get a proper grip on the coins, and the lousy bits of nails I have got a free manicure from the pavement. Trying to pick up all those millions of coins from a rough gravel ground, and hard-to-reach places in the car was Hell! All I could think was F..K this! I don't want to be a Saint anymore boo hoo!! Oops... Ms. P reprimanded me. The 'eff' word is not permitted in the Pollyanna vocabulary. I should have known. Sorry I will not do it again...(today at least!) ha ha. You can't get away with anything these days! Pollyanna is on my case morning, noon and night - AND I LIKE IT!

END OF MONTH REVIEW:

(Pollyanna only permits complete honesty) If I am not being totally honest, you'll hear a big BLEEP on your computer. O.K.

What have I achieved since boarding this positive train of thought? (July 10th)

1)   I have lost 5 lbs. because with my cash-only policy in the shops, I am not buying chocs. or biscuits or chips or ice cream. I bring just enough money for the items on my list - Smart, eh? (Weight loss is on my bucket list).

2)  I have saved lots of money in the process...(Self control is on my bucket list).

3)  I have given back a little to my community, by donating old cans, bottles, coins, smiles, and kind words. Only small things, but still they gave me that warm fuzzy feeling inside - just like Pollyanna said it would. (Warm fuzzy feeling is on my bucket list).


Thought for the day: (from a little book I bought in Israel in 1978)

 'By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever yet harmed his stomach'.


 Polly Hugs,

 Patricia xxx