Change……3/5/23

“Two basic rules of life: 1) change is inevitable and 2) everybody resists change. The only person who likes change is a wet baby!” ~ Roy Blitzer

Considering how powerless you are over things in this life it certainly seems that change going on around you is definitely inevitable. Remember, the only thing you can directly control in this life is the way you think about things and what you do, and that includes what you say and how you say it. I would agree that most people resist change. It seems like we are always adjusting or accepting things over which we have no control. Most also struggle with changing themselves. There’s a certain comfort in maintaining the status quo and the structure it provides. My suggestion: until you’re potty trained, embrace that new diaper! Peace, John

Please send me some feedback on this blog. What did you like about it? What didn’t you like? What topics would you like to hear my thoughts on.  You may also send me an email and a quote that you might like to see me write about on my blog.  You can email your comments to me at jpacheco@personalgrowthconcepts.com Please put the word “blog” in the subject line.  I thank you in advance and wish you well in who you are and in all that you do.

Praying…. 11/6/2016

I used to think that I wanted to pray like a fella in my prayer group. When I shared that with him, he set me straight. He told me that my “talk time” with God was not supposed to be like his.  He then told me whatever I had to offer to God in prayer was 100% acceptable to God.  It took a long time of thinking about that and coming to believe it.

Sometime later I spoke with a trusted spiritual guide.  I shared with her that I felt guilty for not taking the time to pray the way I thought I should. She asked what I meant and I told her that I had good intentions of setting aside time but then I got caught up in the things of the day, my work and didn’t get to it.  I did tell her that I prayed in church and sometimes with certain clients.  She asked me if I had conscious awareness of God throughout my day. I told her yes, that often I think of Him in the “inter-stitches” during the day, times between activities, times when I’m in my car, and times when I’m in transitions. She simply said to me, “That’s prayer!” I was taken aback, but as I reflected on it, I realized she was right. She also told me not to worry about the structure and the amount of time. She also asked how God communicates with me. I told her in different ways – sometimes an idea in my head (“aha”), sometimes something from my reading, sometimes in a song or the words of another person, sometimes in what I see and, at times, just a sensation in my heart.  She also pronounced this as fine and told me I was on the right track.  I was relieved, but it still took me a while to work this through and to let some of the guilt dissipate for not doing it “the right way.”

“The power is in the One who hears it.”  The receiver has all the power. He is a better listener than I!  He hears and knows everything, even my weak and sometimes infrequent attempts to communicate with Him.  He loves me just as I am, with all my shortcomings, blemishes and character defects – I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one!  He doesn’t judge – He just loves me for who I am.

Be mindful of God’s presence in your life and you are already praying.  Your prayers are not wasted.  Be humble, contrite, thankful and ask on behalf of your self, and others. When in doubt, to paraphrase Mother Teresa, “Pray anyway!”

Recovering From Depression … 4/17/16

Depression is a frequent challenge for many of the clients in our clinical practice. Depression can be as simple as an adjustment to a life situation such as a layoff at work or the breakup of a relationship.  It may be more complicated by a long-term pattern of low self-esteem aggravated by poor choices and a lack of a healthy support system.  For some people it may be the result of shortcomings in the biochemistry of their bodies. And for some it includes all the above.

Recovery from depression often involves an assessment by a mental health professional and then treatment including medication and/or psychotherapy.  Cognitive behavioral therapy has proven effective in many cases.  Following an evaluation, the counselor works with the person to find behaviors and thoughts which affect the person’s mood.  The new belief is that changing one’s thoughts and one’s behaviors can influence the mood.  This is frequently true, sometimes when assisted by antidepressant medication.

Doing nothing with depression usually leads to its worsening.  It’s like a downward spiral – the worse you feel, the less you feel like doing something different.  When you don’t think or do things differently, you feel more stuck and more depressed.  The irony is that, as depression progresses, one feels less and less able or willing to do anything about it.  Depression can rob a person of the motivation or the ability to think about things differently or to try different behaviors.

Reversing the downward spiral involves exerting energy to change what you are doing and how you are thinking about your self and the situations where you find yourself.  The ideas presented in the above quote address both new ways of thinking and things to do that are likely to lessen the depression.  If you’re feeling down or depressed today, why not pick one or two of them and try them out?  If you do, I would appreciate your feedback. 

Please consider sharing this blogpost.  Thank you. 

Peace,   John