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We all hurt. Our response to the the hurts of life and love is up to us. We either:
- Blame others
- Blame ourselves
- Accept that life is varied and not always to our liking
Here’s an example from yesterday at the store. I recently had dental surgery and my pain requires dosing over-the-counter pain meds every four hours. It’s important to stay ahead of the pain curve. While I am at work my options for self-soothing are limited. I made sure I had plenty of fluids. Ate a healthy lunch. And continued to monitor my own pain and make sure I kept the ibuprofen on board.
I could’ve been mad at the dentist for hurting me. I could’ve been mad at my work for not having more flexible sick leave. I could’ve blamed myself for not taking better care of my teeth since I was a baby. OR…
I could just accept that I was experiencing pain, like so many others, and make the best of it. I continued to use the serenity prayer and Sharon Salzberg’s Loving Kindness meditation. I continued to move my body and my mind with positive willpower.
When we take responsibility for our own pain as well as our own happiness we release the rest of the world from being responsible for us. My job was not to blame for my discomfort, though partially it was. My dentist was not responsible for my pain, though he could’ve given me some more effective meds. And most importantly, I did not get down on myself for feeling bad. I used my breath. I stretched and did outside cart runs when possible. I made the best of my situation.
I am the only one who’s going to take care of me.
Today, the pain is better, but I’m still using fist fulls of ibuprofen and acetaminophen. And I am closing the store the next three nights in a row, until 9:15. Ho hum. This is “the grocery life.” There are worse jobs for sure. And each time the meds take away the gnawing pain in my lower right jaw, I am grateful. I have a lot to be thankful for.
[Listen to the Deep Dive explore the concepts of The Happy Cashier.]
The hope I see in others
becomes the hope I have for myself,
my life, and my own journey.
– The Happy Cashier
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ALT: Botisatva’s Bookshelf | The Happy Cashier Podcast
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