A Good Look

Sometimes in life we are able to take a good long hard look at ourselves. As if in a mirror but one that can't be seen. Often we are able to see where we can improve and sometimes those things are much more obvious than others. I feel so humbled lately at all the areas that I need to improve in, especially my parenting. Sometimes what I see in my {mirror} is not so pretty... but perhaps that's when we can make some good changes. I often wish I didn't make so many mistakes and that I could just "know" how to do things first.


I was able to go to church up in Dallas over the weekend and the topic in Sacrament was strengthening families. I loved this quote from a wonderful speaker who quoted who I think she said was a child psychiatrist: 
"I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the [family]. It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a [mother], I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized." Haim Ginott


I know this is true. I want to be a happy, positive, uplifting source for my kids and more than not I seem to be absent-minded and stressed out with everything on my plate. I'm grateful for these feelings I am having so I can act on them and do better.