Wow, did you ever inspire me with that story! And I appreciated your reassurances deeply as well. Thank you!
DBing is making a difference in my sitch via making a difference in me. Case in point: last night I got about 4 hrs of sleep. In the past, this would have spelled trouble for about 1-2 days. This morning, I was b#tt-tired, yet in a good mood.
I was running about 5 min late to pick up S5 for his first day back to school, and the house was dark. I rang the doorbell twice, then W came to the door apologizing and rubbing sleep from her eyes, looking like she was getting anxious. I smiled and said I had trouble waking and stayed relaxed, focusing on her. [Wow, did she ever look sexy with tossled hair and in her pjs!]. W asked me to get S5 ready and I know she could over hear us joking and playing while I got him into some school clothes and brushed his teeth and combed his hair. W noted her surprise that I could convince S5 to wear some new pants that she couldn't and complimented the combo match of shirt/pants. I complimented W's checking out of a neat series of library books about animal facts that S5 was excited to share with his class. W is very creative and thoughtful this way.
Anyway, in the past, I would have been worked up about being late and all I had to do today. Now, I roll with these lesser events, and make things happen at a later time if need be, focusing on my higher priorities of W and S5 and myself first. What a difference that makes in terms of mood!
These changes aren't just for W's eyes, either. As a joke, S5 smeared some peanut butter on my shirt sleeve (he has my practical joker trait), but I merely gave him a brief reprimand and told him that we don't dirty other people's clothing. It was another 180 for me, as this would have upset me in the morning of a busy workday in the past.
