The Emotional Tool Box

In my last post, I talked about reaching into my emotional toolbox to help me get over my moments of STFU. Let's see what's inside.

The key that unlocks the chest says, "Your feelings are perfectly valid and legitimate. There is a logic and purpose to them." Doing this lets me open up, relax, and not try to macho through the hard stuff.

Inside, I check my diagnostic, HALT DISC. This is a mnemonic to ask myself, "Am I... "

Hungry?
Angry?
Lonely?
Tired?

Cold?
Sick?
In pain?
Dehydrated?

This information lets me know what I have to do for myself right now. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time working at all, let alone efficiently, when these factors are in play.

I'll share more from my toolbox, but those two are my hammer and flat-head screwdriver of coping.

What do you have in your emotional toolchest?


(This amazing tool chest belongs to Michael Capozzio of Classic Corvette Restorations in Chardon, Ohio)
 

This is my voice, my weapon of choice.

 

 

Anyone who has ever been told to be told to shut up (everyone) has moments when they are convinced.....

 

Wait. Strike that. Let's not get cutesy with the passive voice here. Let's just say things. 

 

A nasty voice lives in my head and it loves to tell me that I have nothing of worth to say. My throat literally tightens up. My words slog through mud to leave my mouth. 

 

Grace Jones says in the linked video, "This is my voice, my weapon of choice." 

 

Being silenced removes your first, best weapon against those who do not want you to challenge the status quo. The status quo doesn't have to be big things, either, like political reform or climate change. The status quo I am fighting today? Sending emails out to independent bookstores to see if they would like to carry my books. 

 

Seriously. Today I am convinced that I am better served not drawing attention to myself, that no bookstore would want to shelve me in their stock. I'm going to reach into my emotional toolbox and find every thing I can that will help me. I will resist that cruel voice that wants me to play small. 

 

Tell me a time when you resisted your cruel voice.