What the Shrek, why not be a nice instead of a mean ogre? A "bucket filler instead of a bucket spiller" (as the Bucket Filler Book suggests). Notes about The Enneagram too as a bonus!

 While we live in sleepy kind of town, when we're reay to have fun, watch out. All the kids and even some growed-ups get into costume and put on quite a show at the Falls Village Children's Theatre or the local HoUSAtonic High School. Really, groups from both do a great job and welcome dough-nations and even donuts as one may fell led, fyi.

A cute line in Shrek the Musical is that Shrek and Donkey go together "like donuts and diabetes" which could help more folks choose not to pick up said donuts and thus steer away from a path of diabetes! That tip was shared on the side as well at a talk on budgeting, when it came to counting money one could compare it to counting calories..and the reality of paying for diabetes medicine after finding out one has the condition (a seemingly fit, otherwise healthy woman shared) was a challenge on top of bad news.

The way to avoid getting diabetes, which is a more responsive condition, is to EXERCISE daily as in walk for 15 minutes four times a day (to total an hour) or do that twice (for a half hour). Get the heart rate up a bit (and of course, check with your doctor that would be good to do. Some recommend taking blood pressure medication if you've had a few high readings (Check with St Francis Hosp in CT for instance which offers some free screenings near Valentine's Day (and Thanks to Esther Howard  of Worcester MA and who lived near Mount Holyoke College for inventing Valentine Day Cards), especially for Women/

Check with your own and do some research even online to get some good ideas about PREVENTING DIABETES. I need to take all of this good advice, having known I could be or am at risk (there, I said it so am working through my decades of denial of being 25 lbs or more overweight).

Need to wrap up this post, but the overall idea is to watch one's intake of food, and make it as healthy as possible and then one's cash flow, more in than out in that case, with lots saved for retirement and taxes if due. Overall, being positive and seeking help in any situation, personal, financial, social, planning for change, even for end of life or sudden loss makes sense. Write things down. 

I realize I had to cut this post short when first written..and the title begs for us to brainstorm ways to be Kind and Curious about our human condition rather than judgemental and m-e-a-n. Many people feel 'they are the way they are, so don't try to change them..and they are not interested in knowing if they are hurting others or even themselves'. The ME-Me-me attitude sometimes attracts a person with a YOU-You-you focus, a controller and a pleaser for instance.

A fine balance needs to be found even between a caring mother or father and their child. Over-mommying can breed a spolied kid of sorts, but often if it's really 'too much of a good thing' poor mommy had no sense of self and can feel she's literally running out of Oxygen, and even outings or friends. She needs to come up for air. I was a hover mother in way but sometimes worried about the world even more so would not be there enough for my own kids. A fine balancing act, which unfortunately No One is helping Givers review their efforts and even give them credit.

In many circles from family and community to faith and even work, 'doing one's job' is painted as a given which one should not look to have any 'special recognition'. Again, the idea may be to avoid a 'big head' syndrome..or sin in terms of Pride. Why not allow ourselves more 'review periods daily and weekly, monthly and yearly to see what we've put our energies into individually and collectively. Mapping out a daily, weekly and monthly schedule can begin to harness in one's energy.

I need to do more of this, and work various part-time jobs so that an overall pattern of working or going to school is not shaping my day or life. Keeping up with children or others who depend on one's support can be a grounding factor. Whatever responsiblity one has, it would be nice to see how much of one's work or efforts could be 'delegated' even occassionally, again to give one a mental or emotional breather to avoid burn-out or to allow for some 'bonus days and times to catch up on a personal life or  wish list'. 

Some people are under stress and ready to lash out at those 'most willing to take it' or who feel them must to maintain some other benefit with the person. The bully or bucket spiller can go around making demands of 'staying connected' with others in a negative way. Young troublemakers may have more energy than an indoor or social setting allows. Time to take a walk or do some jumping jacks outside..or just sit outside and read and talk with someone.

The bigger space of the  outdoors holds a key for many with a kind of 'stay on the go' energy. For any who are feeling low, the outdoors can be like a big best friend, with nature providing at least a sky and hopefully some earth, plants, trees, water and animals (birds, squirrels and creepy crawlies) to remind one of others on the planet. People count here too, but if one doesn't feel they can really say a hello or be in a space comfortably with others, then people can become more of a stress than a support.

We need to remind ourselves not to beat ourselves up either. Too often we do what was done to us when we were very yound and impressionable. I heard a friend give an eloquent introduction to the symbol and application of The Wisdom of the Enneagram. The personality theory offered in this special book based on a moving energetic dynamic called the enneagram could be a key to health and world peace. I'll take time to do a blog post about that but google for some quick insights that could prove healing and helpful today for yourself, family, friends and even FB friends and beyond.

Each of the nine personality types has a  less savory side to its expression. A number 8 for instance, which many American men (and even women in the 'get ahead lest one be left behind mindset of our country) who tend toward being in 'control' can become too controlling or abusive if out of balance. A number 2 which many American women can be socialized toward being a pleaser can become too other-focused and pair up with a controller.

The idea that groups and even countries can have personality types is worth considering. We need to know much more about the variety of people and  nations of the world to work together toward common goals of healing climate and the social fabric  of our world. Insights into 'what makes each personality type' tick can be very helpful. Taking someone's poor health or bullying or even drug use into consideration as part of an imbalance or symptom allows one to find new healing modalities... and again, whether a person or a group, finding solutions to restore health can be a win-win. May the most balanced version of ourselves win as we live and rest, day and night and over the seasons of our lives...even lifetime to lifetime, which many say is how the big pattern works as well.