There is nothing special about this day.

Part of my current job is to manage social media for a non-profit in Central Alberta. Since there was really no strategy or plan when I started here a few months ago, I got into the habit of checking for "days of recognition" when we didn't any of our own content to post about. I was looking at a blank Friday in the schedule.

That's when I discovered that absolutely NOTHING of note has ever occurred on March 11.

Unless that happens to be your birthday, or that of someone you love. That's important. :)

But here is what I did find of interest about March 11, 2022:

It is the 10th Friday of the year.

It is the 70th day of the year.

There are 295 days remaining in the year.

That's when the penny dropped for me.

I heard Debbie Downer in my head say: "F*ck. 295 more days of this shit?"

Wait. What? Where did that come from?

...

No one, I'm sure, will argue that the past two years have been absolute shit. And on January 2 of 2022, I wrote in my journal: "I know that this year will NOT be smooth sailing." (This first post on this new blog is your initiation: You are reading the words of someone who loosely falls under the category 'prophetess'. More to follow on that in future posts.)

Who could have predicted that we would still be getting beat up by our own government (in the most real sense, as it turns out); that differences of opinions would be amplified even more than they have been to the point where signs like "GAS THE UNVxx'D" would show up at protests; that more and more people would be crushed under the heels of extortion-level, hyperinflated prices on food, fuel and housing; that wars and rumors of war would be escalating...

and we aren't even at the end of the first freaking quarter?

(Sheepishly raising her hand...)

So when I read that there were still 295 days left in the year, the Debbie Downer that lives in my head let me know exactly how she felt about it.

I noticed my body's reaction when I read that, and I caught myself swimming in a cesspool of my own mental toxicity. (Not a surprise given my immersion in toxic relationships, jobs and society as a whole for, what, 50 years?) After all the self-development work, and reading, and time on the therapist's couch, my Shadow is still trying to rip the steering wheel from my hands and drive me into a ditch of despair.

In that instance, I did not see the fact that there could be 295 more days to do awesome shit. 295 more days of LIFE (at least, I would hope so!) 295 more days with my friends and family. 295 more days of painting and crafting and drawing and writing. 295 more days of opportunities to make a difference and create a newer, better world. 295 more days - most of which would be much warmer than today - to be outside in my garden, or in the mountains, or at the river, to be walking the dog or playing games, or enjoying the blessings of my common little life.

Nope. That Shadow bitch took over, pinned the pedal to the metal, and drove us straight into the f*cking swamp.

What was astonishing is that it happened in the blink of an eye.

This is the aspect of myself that needs to be brought to heel so it stops short-circuiting my synapses and causing these rolling mental brown-outs.

I am not doing myself any good whatsoever by looking at the world through a lens of negativity while reading scriptures and listening to intellectuals like Jordan Peterson expound on psychology and existentialism. (Mind you, it's likely because I've been doing these things that this single thought came into my awareness. If not for the striving and 'work' I've been doing, it would've simply led me down the spiral staircase into my personal hell of depression.)

Naturally I did what I typically do with my revelations: I journaled it out. As I did, I had the thought: This would make a hella blog post.

And here we are.

My intention is that by sharing my mental "gotcha", it might help you catch yourself in a negative thought, or cause you to pause from saying something that generates a soul-crushing vibe, for yourself or someone else.

Because if we're going to create a better world, it starts in our minds.

...

This day is nothing special. It's just another Friday. Another day to go about making the best of things, as best we can, until tomorrow. To try to find something to smile about, to be thankful for, and to appreciate.

And know that we still have 295 more chances this year to get it right.