Positive Words Can Stimulate Positive Thoughts

Words can be a lamp to light a path and guide us through dark days. There are three quotes that haves helped me through the pandemic so far. Please check out my three quotes and I hope you will share some of your favorites with me.

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Good evening and welcome to my humble podcast abode. I am Cocoa Griot. Just a 50 something who enjoys talking about life, love, and a host of other topics. You know I've been a fan of words, my entire life. My dad used to read to me when I was a little girl, and I could not wait until I learned to myself. Words are extremely powerful. Some days, the only thing that helps me get through the day are words or more specifically, quotes. Tonight I'm sharing three quotes that have kept me afloat during this pandemic. I hope they will inspire you as they do me. I'm sharing specific instances of where the quotes came to the rescue. If you feel inclined, please leave me a voicemail and share some of your favorite quotes, I would love to hear them. So the first quote is, don't miss out on something great, because it can be difficult. I got this quote from Conscious Magazine. When I made the decision to move during the pandemic, this quote was quite helpful. I truly believe that misery can be comfortable in a way, because it's familiar.

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I was absolutely miserable in my apartment. This sometimes gated community, child I say sometimes because the gates often didn't work became overrun with some pretty unsavory characters during the pandemic. The building changed hands several times within the space of my last year in that domain. There was a buffet of assorted noises that cropped up nightly right when my head hit the pillow. I was incredibly sleep deprived for nine months. The offending noises ranged from people arguing outside my second floor bedroom window, to deep bass drops from someone's car stereo. My secluded haven was no more. Then,there was the issue of marijuana being smoked by my downstairs neighbor. I have never smoked marijuana, but the stench invaded my nostrils frequently several times a week. By way of my neighbor. I questioned how I could possibly move, and then one more sleepless night led me to the question of how could I possibly not? There was a place I had my eye on, and I was determined not to let the difficulty of moving dissuade me from taking the leap of faith. The move was executed in three phases. First, I got rid of all the furniture that didn't make the cut to be in my new place, wonderful people from my church volunteered to help. Then, my amazing brother, eldest son and nephew, moved my packed materials to the new place. Finally, my youngest son did clean up detail, keeping the number of interactions small and in phases was difficult. In times past I would have completed all of the steps to the move in one day, but this is the age of Corona. There are no words to describe how happy I am today in my new place. There is serenity and the only sounds I hear frequently are birds singing outside my window. No marijuana smoke is invading my nostrils and life is pretty great. The move was difficult, but it was worth it.

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The next quote I want to talk about is when you train your eyes to see the magic and miracles in the little things you open the door for your whole life to shift. This is a quote by Carol Woodliff. I think of this as a gift, and I put that in quotes. A gift of the pandemic was that I was able to take time and get off the hamster wheel. I liken it to the person

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PLEASE FAST FORWARD. who didn't know they couldn't see well until they got glasses. Suddenly, there was a realization that you were not seeing everything as clearly as possible. This was pre-pandemic. My days were a constant blur of being in traffic for hours going to and from work. It was not uncommon to spend two and a half hours, or three, each way, going to work and coming home. When my work morphed into working from home, something magical happened. Little things that once alluded my sight, became the focus. Spending time with people I love by phone or video chat, kept my spirits up. So many people were complaining about having to be sequestered at home. I started writing and that opened up an amazing world of connection for me.

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Starting this podcast and sharing my thoughts was another source of joy. Speaking and writing are little things that transformed my work and kept me in a zone of positivity. My mom used to say things and people are in your life for a reason, season, or lifetime. This season of stress during the pandemic was life-altering. Taking stock and investing time in the little things kept me from drowning in despair during a time when so many tragedies occur daily. The last quote is powerful, and I know it will continue to keep me afloat well beyond this pandemic. The beauty of life is while we cannot undo what is done, you can see it, understand it, learn from it, and change so that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear, or anger but in wisdom, understanding, and love. This is a quote from Jennifer Edwards. One of the most painful truths of this pandemic period is that I had to end relationships with people that I thought were my friends. I trusted untrustworthy people. I loved people who were unlovable. I befriended people that were not true friends, the betrayals were so egregious I am well within my right to hate them, but I don't. I am thanking them for the blessing of the lesson. The actions cannot be undone. But I have to separate myself from the pain, to learn from the experiences, evaluating what was inside me that allowed these experiences to happen is hard. Ultimately, that is the only way to prevent sequels from occurring.

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I cannot control others. I am the gatekeeper of my life. Wisdom and understanding are very desirable paths for me. I spend enough time on the boat of regret, guilt, fear, and anger. Each day I wake up for another opportunity to do good in this world. When I used to read the verse about being good to those who hate you, I was at a loss on how to do it. Now, I not only understand how to do it, I know why it's important. Not forgiving others is a personal prison for you. It takes time and energy to allow that person to live rent-free in your head. The negative thoughts you harbor damage you. One important thing to remember is that when people can no longer use you, they often have no use for you.

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I hope you enjoyed listening to my discussion of three quotes that have kept me afloat during the pandemic. As always, I wish you good health, good fortune, and good night. Cocoa Griot out!