It's all good!

I was at a free class at my health food store last night.  It was about the importance of alkalizing the body to prevent sickness, being in alignment (physically), and other health and wellbeing-related topics.  I learned a lot, which I intend to put into practice in my own life, not the least of which is three little words:  "It's all good." 

The woman putting on the class talked about how important our thoughts are (not new information to me, most people there, or I suspect, any of you either).  She shared that when she's hit with something that would normally make her irritated, angry, or upset, she says the words "All is well."  If you can, picture a cute, petite, perky woman around 45 years old, saying those words in a slightly high-pitched voice.  Kind of Pollyanna-ish.  She even compared herself to Pollyanna. 

My mind immediately went back to my drive to the florist yesterday morning where I was behind a slow driver, who didn't turn left at a stoplight when he well could have, where I may have said "You freaking idiot."  Ok, yes, I did say those words, and no, I don't have a road rage problem.  I used to, mind you, but I'm way better now.  Really.  Instead of screaming those words at other drivers, I now merely say them.

I know I needed something more productive and positive to say when life's little annoyances pop up (for me that often happens in the car), so I jotted the three words down on my paper, among my other notes.

I got the opportunity to practice it on my drive home from the class.  Again, in the car, and again, behind someone who I believed to be driving less than intelligently.  I caught myself getting annoyed and my three, not-so-positive, slightly derogatory words sprang up and ready in my mind.  Then I remembered the class.  And I said, "It's all good" instead.   A slight variation from the instructor's "All is well" mantra, but "It's all good" rolled off my tongue at the moment and sits with me better.

And you know what?  My annoyance dissipated!  I felt my body return to calm.

Because how bad is being behind another driver who makes different choices than you'd make, really?  It's not that big of a deal.  Yet I overreact to it all the time.   

This morning I got another opportunity to practice.  I'm currently fostering a three-month-old puppy (rottweiler mix, they think, possibly with some boxer, maybe pit...not sure) from my local humane society.  I've fostered many dogs over the past year and a half, but this is the first puppy I have.  And I will tell you, I don't know how puppy parents do it.  I am over all the pooping and peeing in the house!  I am working on potty training little Lulu - boy am I working.  But apparently not hard enough, or maybe it just takes longer than I thought it would. 

Anyway, I've been taking Lulu outside immediately after getting up in the morning.  Well, this morning, for some reason, she did not follow me and my other dogs out like she usually does.  Instead she ran around the house, trying to get away from me, because she knew I'd pick her up and take her out myself.  Then she peed on my bedroom carpet.  Twice.  While I was standing right there.  I got mad, picked her up, and carried her outside.   

While I'm cleaning up the two pee spots in my bedroom, and my other three dogs, and two cats who are in the house are freaked out because they don't like it when I get mad, are staring at me, I'm reminded, "It's all good."

Just thinking those three little words, I can feel my blood pressure returning to normal.  I can feel my tense muscles relax.  I proceed with the clean up, in a much better state of mind.     

When I'm done, I come out into the living room and see that she peed on the rug in my living room too.  A nice big wet spot.  Really?  This is all within five minutes of getting out of bed.  I hadn't even used the bathroom yet.  Again, I carry her immediately outside, trying to associate peeing with going outside, and clean up the pee on the rug, yet again reminding myself "It's all good."  Those words help me remain calm and not get worked up and upset like I have been.     

I go about the morning feeding of the animals, and at some point shortly thereafter, I go into the living room (with the rug folded back, keep in mind, from cleaning the hardwood floor beneath the wet spot on the rug), to find a pile of poop on top of the folded back rug.

Thank goodness for what I learned at the class last night.  "It's all good" is the only thing keeping me sane right now.  And as silly as it seems, it really does work. 

I have other mantras I say from time to time. 
"I am here, I am love."  (gets me present)
"I am love.  I am peace."   (helps me when I'm feeling afraid)

But "It's all good," is now my new mantra for when I'm feeling irritated or annoyed.

I just found the first quote below, by Abe Lincoln, "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."  It struck me that I can complain that puppy Lulu pees in the house, or I can rejoice that the peeing in the house comes from Lulu, an adorable puppy I get to spend a couple weeks with. 


Quotes of the Day:

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” (Abraham Lincoln) 
“The discontent and frustration that you feel is entirely your own creation.”  (Stephen Richards, Think Your Way to Success:  Let Your Dreams Run Free) 
“You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.” (Stephen Richards)

"Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out how easy it is to get along."  (Paramahansa Yogananda)