Friday, September 30, 2016

21 Day Happiness Challenge - Again -

I did this in March, and I'm beginning this again tomorrow. After a month of angst, I need to drop my pessimist attitude and get back into the positive thinking, the world is good mind-set. Join me? 


CREATING LASTING CHANGE - for 21 Days -

GRATITUDE Write down three new things you are grateful for each day.

JOURNAL Write for 2 minutes a day describing one positive experience you had over the past 24 hours.

EXERCISE Aim to be active for at least 10 minutes a day.

MEDITATE For two minutes, focus on your breath going in and out.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS Write one, quick email first thing in the morning thanking or praising a member on your team.


Thursday, September 29, 2016

Crisis - Not -

Remember this post? Big hour-long meeting today with all the important people, and me. And guess what? There was no reason to be irritated, afraid, scared, unsure, anxious. All was well, and I burnt nearly a month stressing, worrying about the event.

I had two epiphanies though - for which I'm grateful. First - I am one of the important people! I cannot continue to minimize myself and my roles. Second - the worst case scenario is seldom going to happen, and I need to learn that I am living a new life where I can trust those who say they have my back, and I can trust in other's goodness, and in my own goodness and my own credibility. And when I do this, others will as well. Karma.

I am Ronda Walker Weaver - chaplain, writing instructor, folklorist, and beyond -




Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Being a Chaplain - from TheBitterSoutherner.com -

I often get asked, "Just what is it you do?" When I tell people I'm a chaplain. Well, more eloquently than I could share, is this article. It is so well-written, brought me to tears, and explains what and why I am a chaplain. Enjoy - 


http://bittersoutherner.com/sponsored/piedmont-healthcare-chaplains

Monday, September 26, 2016

Practice Pausing -

I'm learning this, but still not totally confident in my abilities to hold still, particularly when I think action is better than no action. However - I have learned to not hit "Send" when emotional or tired or irritated; rather, wait, review, delete. 

Where are your weak "Pause" moments? 



Saturday, September 24, 2016

Affect-Effect - Accept-Expect

A student asked me if I would explain the difference between Affect and Effect. Affect is the verb; effect is the noun. And I gave him this sentence: 

"I was affected by the effects of the tornado." And then there was a tornado in northern Utah, and I figured I'd better change the sample sentence. 

"I have been affected by the effects of cancer treatments." 
"I have been affected by the effects of divorce." 
"I have been affected by the effects of renting our room through AirBnB." 

Enough? 


And then he asked me to explain the difference between Accept and Expect, and I had to think. Accept is the verb; expect is likewise a verb. 

I have certain expectations of myself and of others. Once a self-appointed friend told me I had too high of expectations. And I innocently thought that was odd - I mean, if I do my best, shouldn't others be expected to do the same? And if my expectations are out of reach for others, then do I need to accept less, because I expect less? Can I accept less of myself if I lower my expectations for myself? 

Does acceptance have anything to do with lowering expectations? Is it necessary to take a step down on the expectation ladder just to be able to be more accepting of whatever comes my/your way? 

When you learn to accept rather than expect, what are the affects, and for how long are you effected? I'm not sure this is "right." What if I accept more and expect more - isn't that the law of abundance? Or is that the law of disappointment? 

Aaah goodness, food for thought. Damn students who make me think! 






Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Entitlement - "You're not the boss of me" -

I have zero tolerance for folks who feel entitled. I also have no tolerance for folks who tell others how to do their job, particularly when they feel entitled to "advise" you.

I've been having a conflict at work - not my colleagues, but one a few separations away, who has been trying to tell me how to do my job, even though his experience, and his education, and his job, are very different from mine.

His entitlement comes from having a bigger title than mine, working for a more prominent hospital than mine, and having a few more years of chaplaining experience. And he thinks it is his role to teach me how to do my role.

Now, I would never, in a million years, even consider telling him how to do his job. Never! I'll take care of my own messes before jumping into someone else's, which makes it difficult for me to see why having my "buy-in" on his way of doing things, is so important.

In fact, he basically incited an email riot, getting more and more detailed, and then getting very very personal, sending the email to lower, middle, and upper management, stating my full name and my wrong-doings (saying 'no' to his way). I responded to the first two emails, while the riot was still a conversation, and then I stopped, sending only two more messages to my boss and my colleagues, not the entire freakin' group, apologizing for being the reason for the mud-slinging.

And come to find out, he said, "the cart came before the horses," but he was a little too quick with the "send" button, although he didn't claim any wrong-doing or over-reacting, or calling anyone names. In the meantime upper-management feels it is necessary to have him in on the decision-making process of my job, which isn't his job, and of which he has no experience! What?

Yet he's my colleague, and we'll have to interact, and how do I walk tall, look him in the eyes, and stand my ground (I've compromised so much I'm nearly ashamed of myself)? And this is eating me up, because see - I did no wrong, and I'm more than open to conversation and compromise, and yet there is no safe ground for which to do this.

Cover up? Pretend nothing happened? Surrender to win? And when can I get back to doing my job, which I'm damn good at, rather than sit in on another planning meeting, because what was, is not what is, because someone tampered with my educated and experienced and trained and backed-up program?

Where is my advocate, my champion, my voice? And do I care? God grant me the serenity -




Monday, September 19, 2016

Education - Listening and Learning -

I was at a Palliative Care conference all last week - long 10 hour days listening, learning, and remembering. I love the classroom - I love being a student as well as a teacher. There's just something about learning, with others, that invigorates me. And even though I am still exhausted, I am alive with fresh knowledge, Monday energy, confidence from practicum, and the excitement of getting back into the hospital and implementing all that I learned - formally and informally. 

Happy Monday - go forth!