This morning I sat down and looked at a blank page, wondering what had happened to the promise I made to myself that I would add snippets of interesting information to the draft for this post, ready for my Thursday morning writing session…
The past week has been full of the usual busyness, plus I included a day trip to spend time with a visiting relative, and I was rostered to lead Worship in Church on Sunday, followed by a shared community meal.
Otherwise, every spare minute has been spent hunched over the keyboard typing new words into my soon to be completed
The conclusion is in sight, and I can see the happy ever after ending, but there have been some tears this week as I said farewell to one of my favourite characters.
From the blank page, I turned to an online devotion and found this inspiring quote.”As a result, the psalm invites us to reflect on how the life we have been given is a gift from God: for us, and for our good.” (Psalm 16 reflection, Richard Briggs, 9/9/2018.
https://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2018-09-09/The-good-life)
This page also made reference to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy is the contemporary term for the 19th Century adage “Count your blessings.” CBT relates to making a conscious decision to look for something positive to focus on to manage difficult situations.
For more information about CBT click on these links
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/cognitive-behaviour-therapy-cbt
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety/treatments-for-anxiety/psychological-treatments-for-anxiety
https://au.reachout.com/articles/cognitive-behavioural-therapy
One of the strategies I employ to keep my personal anxieties in perspective is music. If I find myself unable to concentrate, I turn to YouTube for inspiration. For each of my manuscripts, I collect songs that have relevance for my heroines as they deal with my dramatic settings.
Sometimes memory comes into play, bringing to mind one of my Dad’s favourite old songs. Here is a video link to the one that is playing in my head – I love the surprising choice of images to accompany the song, and one of them includes butterflies…
Count Your Blessings YouTube video
Philippians 4: 4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
One final word and then I will close for the week. Here is a helpful list for those who may struggle to find something to rejoice about:
