In any language

och aye (Scotch) ola kala (Greek)
oke or okeh (Choctaw Indian)
aux Cayes (French)
au quai (also French)
Okay (English)

In any language, Okay is our post topic today. 

When I think about Okay I think about acceptance.  And acceptance is an important component of forward momentum and change.  See, in order for you to have the clear focus to move ahead, you have to be okay with where you are.  If you are not okay, then that creates a significant road block to all that you want for yourself because you are stuck.

How do you get to Okay?  One way is to do an exercise called Mirror Work.  Every morning and every night when you are going through your self-care routine - add a minute or two to look yourself in the eye and say - out loud - I'm okay and because I am okay, I am free to pursue and achieve my goals.  Some people even add "I love myself" and that makes it more powerful.  You can find more information on Mirror Work and other techniques to bring you to Okay in the book The Art of Extreme Self-Care: Transform Your Life One Month at a Time by Cheryl Richardson . 

To be honest, this past year, I have not been okay.  After my husband lost his job last fall I became stuck in a web of - I'm not okay and EVERYTHING is not okay.  I couldn't break out of my slump and even the AHL techniques that I KNOW WORK didn't seem to help.  I couldn't get off of the Dark Train.  My weight went up, my spirits went down and everything in my life seemed to stall. 

And then summer came and I went in for ankle surgery and was home most of the summer.  Slowly, the stillness of not being able to walk around -first not at all and then not very much - settled into my brain. What was I doing?  I started to want to break out of the fog, to see myself and my dreams again.  I needed to get back to Okay.  So I took the steps to get there and in fact, I am still taking steps.  I started with getting back on the Bright Train (what is Okay about the situation?  What is GOOD about the situation?).  Then I tackled my weight - all of the AHL principles of clean, healthy, focused eating.  And so on.  I am still tackling things - with the big one being my belief - looking at myself in the mirror and reminding myself that everyday I am okay and that my dreams are out there for me.  And trust me, I am okay with that.

With love and okayness,
Tee

Questions
- What are the small or large things you can do to help you start and maintain each day at "Okay"? 

Activities
- Buy or borrow Cheryl Richardson's book The Art of Self Care.  Plan to do each monthly exercise.
- Remind yourself everyday that you are okay and that this day is going to be special.
- Share the love.  Tell someone else something nice about them.  Help them get to okay.