Thinking. Finding the gift.

These nice thoughts arrived in my inbox this morning.

:: Every Experience Is a Gift ::

Perfectionistic parenting is rooted in the false idea that it's bad to make a mistake or fall short of one's
expectations.

But if you think about it, you can derive value from *any* experience -- no matter how "bad" it is or how
much pain it involves -- IF you're willing to look for the hidden gifts.

The one gift found in *every* negative experience is that it sharpens the contrast between what you want and don't want, giving you an opportunity to focus more powerfully on your desire.

When you fall short of your parenting ideals, you may be tempted to indulge in guilt or self-deprecation.
But then you'd be modeling violence against self and creating more negative experiences.

Today, if you find yourself facing unwanted circumstances, or failing to uphold your own
standards, ask yourself, "What is the gift for me in this experience?"

Such gifts are more obvious in hindsight, but why not enjoy them *now*?

http://dailygroove.net/gift