As you go about your weekend, here are some words from Christiane Northrup....and "Goddesses Are Ageless".
"Over the years, we develop a finely calibrated BS detector. We recognize that some people are not being honest with themselves about what they are doing to create their own problems. If they pressure us to rescue them, or try to make us feel guilty for not changing our plans to accommodate their latest crisis, we find it's easier than ever before not to give into their emotional threats. Alpha Goddesses recognize that "No" is a complete sentence. How liberating!"
"I see this a lot in women with aging mothers or fathers who have placed far too many unreasonable demands on them. This is the time when you learn that being a good daughter doesn't mean letting yourself become depleted by your parents. They brought you into this world and took care of you, but making your life about their needs is not necessary or healthy for you or them. Very often, what older parents really want is to feel independent and useful. When you say no and you ask them to help you out in some way, however small, you restore balance in the relationship. It's a gift to realize you truly are on a journey separate from your parents. Your paths intersect, but you can't be responsible for their lives. The same is true for your adult children."
....and further into a chapter called "Goddesses know the Power of Pleasure."
"The biochemistry of pleasure can counteract the biochemistry of aging. Nitric oxide is the uber-neurotransmitter that increases and balances levels of all the others: endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin (a bonding neurotransmitter released while breast feeding, experiencing orgasm, or even enjoying the company of others0, and DMT, which is generated in the pineal gland in the brain and probably plays a role in dreaming. Although we tend to think that neurotransmitters are generated and used only in the brain, we actually have cells throughout the body that can both produce and receive them. The gut produces more serotonin than the brain does - generated largely as a result of the huge number of healthy bacteria that live in what's known as your microbiome. When you have a visceral negative reaction to something - you can't "stomach" it - that's your neurotransmitters sending you the message "this doesn't feel right for me." Conversely, you can get a warm, happy feeling in your belly when neurotransmitters that affect your mood are released as a result of a positive experience, thought or feeling. The idea is to create that warm feeling through the emotional experience of genuine pleasure that supports your well-being, health and agelessness."
Here is an exercise for you:
"A Brag, a Grateful, A Desire."
First, identify something to brag about. What can you be proud of right now.?
Second, identify something that you appreciate or are grateful for. What blessings in your life would you like to acknowledge?
Third, identify something you desire. If money, time and the laws of physics are no object, what you desire right now?
Try doing these exercises daily, answering the questions in your journal and reflecting on them. And share this experience with others in conversation....
Christiane
Happy Saturday!
