Tags
looking for problems where there are none, new relationships, self-sabotaging a relationship, shutting the ego down, taking baby steps
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ―
Yesterday B and I celebrated our 1 month anniversary! Yes, you heard me… 1 whole month! I will be that annoying person that celebrate monthly anniversaries. No longer counting dates, I now count months.
We went to Tapas & Cucina, a restaurant that I like that is located in Eastchester, NY. We shared different tapas. We had spicy potatoes, meatballs, empanadas and eggplant. I had a passion fruit mimosa and he had chardonnay. He stays away from sugar so he didn’t have dessert. I had the tiramisu.
He brought me beautiful flowers (that ones on the picture above). He is very sweet and tender with me. It is so comfortable being with him.
But not everything is flowers. There are some thorns, and it is mostly my overreacting.
“Make your ego porous. Will is of little importance, complaining is nothing, fame is nothing. Openness, patience, receptivity, solitude is everything.” ―
I continue, often subconsciously, to look for excuses/reasons to run. I am trying to be aware and immediately stop anytime I feel myself going down that rabbit hole of self-sabotage.
He is trying hard to be understanding, and I am trying hard just being in the moment and not creating problems where there are none.
This time I had a problem when he changed the radio station in the car after I had chosen a radio station.
I didn’t say anything at the moment, but he already knows me well and could sense it. I am always talking, going silent for any amount of time signals to him that something is wrong.
“The moment you become aware of the ego in you, it is strictly speaking no longer the ego, but just an old, conditioned mind-pattern. Ego implies unawareness. Awareness and ego cannot coexist.” ―
He asked: “Ana, come back, where did you go? What happened?”
I said: ” nothing”, but when he insisted I mentioned the radio. I was trying to work out the situation on my own and not say anything, but in the end I rather be transparent and say exactly what is going on. He apologized profusely. He said he thought he had asked me.
I understand how petty that is, but for some reason, any little thing can have me looking into the future, and predicting doom. My ego was trying hard to make me believe that his changing the radio station meant he didn’t respect my choices.
After some time, I was able to shut my ego down, and forget about the radio, and we proceeded to have an awesome night.
I am not proud of my moody behavior. I am, however, proud that I am able to recognize some of my patterns and that I am actively working on changing them. Baby steps.
“Don’t Just
Don’t just learn, experience.
Don’t just read, absorb.
Don’t just change, transform.
Don’t just relate, advocate.
Don’t just promise, prove.
Don’t just criticize, encourage.
Don’t just think, ponder.
Don’t just take, give.
Don’t just see, feel.
Don’t just dream, do.
Don’t just hear, listen.
Don’t just talk, act.
Don’t just tell, show.
Don’t just exist, live.”
― The Light in the Heart
Are you sure your name isn’t Andi? 💕
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hahaha, I am glad you understand 🙂
Blessings to you!
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Oh my gosh…I certainly do!
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💞
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Someone once told me that humans were not meant to pair up and live with each other, as it goes against our original nature. I must be living proof, for in all my 78 years, I have never managed to find anyone who could live with me…
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I can see that. It feels easier to just be alone, and see each other once awhile. The older we get, the more set on our ways we get and the less willing to compromise we become. It does take awareness and effort.
Thank you for your insight and blessings to you!
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I’m all for a good relationship, but maybe we don’t need to live together? That would work for me…
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Perhaps that is the route (living apart) we will take. Cohabitating may be difficult at this point in our lives.
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I seem to have far too many days when I wish I lived alone… and that is worrying…
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I guess it is the state of the world, that has some of us (me included) just want to be alone 😦
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The chaos in the world seems to have crept into our homes, driving peace away…
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More than even I attempt to hold on to good thoughts and gratitude for everything, and lots of prayers!!
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Gets harder to do every day, though…
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Kudos Ana on your one-month anniversary and working to be more present.
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Thank you Brad!
A blessed week to you!
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Goodness… 😉 It’s good you’re writing about this. It’s good you’re aware. We all have our quirks. 😀
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Hi Claudette,
Writing about it here, let’s me make sense of it and it keeps me accountable. 🙂
Blessings!
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Know thyself! …Babysteps is good!
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Exactly! Thank you Ute! BLessings!
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Pingback: ReBlogging ‘When the ego is out of line’ – Link Below | Relationship Insights by Yernasia Quorelios
💜 I Have a Long String of Exes and One Marriage that ended in 2006 after a mutual pregnancy termination and concerns about Money and Materialism; so, without punishing her or myself too much in My Mental Musings, I Analysed and Here ARE Some of My Conclusions:
♠️ Mental Health is Often Denied as Being a Solution-in-Waiting
♠️We tend to only communicate with people who agree with us and the moment they disagree we cut them off
♠️We ARE Afraid to Experience Living 3DLife Alone in Solitude preferring Toxic Partnership however Passive Aggressive that Toxicity May Be
…💛💚💙…
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Hi Yernasia,
Thank you for the insight!
I agree that we so often stay away from people we disagree with, instead of having a conversation and understanding each other. I am trying to be more open and more welcoming to the differences. I don’t always succeed, but I feel there is progress.
Blessings!
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💜 Hmmm, more deletions and censorship; meh!!!
…💛💚💙…
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Not sure what you mean…
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Congratulations 🥳
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Thank you! Blessings!
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Cats? DOES THE MAN HAVE CATS?!?!?!?
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hahaha, you are not letting me forget about that detail lol
Actually the cat is adorable, and his daughter will be taking the cat to school next semester.
Blessings to you!
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Only go out with cat loving men – they are the best!!!!
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ha, so you are on the Cat Team! I have always preferred dogs over cats 🙂
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🐈🐈🐈
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This was a wonderful post. I have a friend who was always moody and controlling. In fact, I had told her that if it was ALWAYS HER WAY, at some point, I would have to move on. I have a happy spirit and I am easy going, so can put up with quite a bit, but I told her, even I have my limits. What’s interesting is at some point she got a boyfriend. When we would get together she would say, “I remember when you said I was always agreeing to get together based on my schedule, ie after I went to the gym, after I did errands basically, I wanted things my way 100%.” Well, with this guy she was dating, she NOTICED herself doing the SAME THINGS and KNEW it was SELFISH. So, she STOPPED herself, she tried to be more accommodating. If the man said he wanted to stop at a particular store to get some beer, EVEN if she didn’t want to stop at store and didn’t drink beer…. SHE made herself smile and say, “SURE, we can stop.” What she was realizing was that to stay in a relationship, she had to be accommodating to the man’s needs too. She had to soften up. She started calling me and saying, “YOU WILL BE SO PROUD OF ME… I had a plan, I would go to the gym, then groceries, then shower… BUT boyfriend wanted to go biking for 10 miles.” In my mind, I compromised — biking was exercising, it would be fun to do something different from my normal routine, he would be happy, etc. In the end, she was becoming SO PROUD of herself. She was STILL doing things HER WAY for certain things, but knowing she was making HIM happy, MADE HER HAPPY too. They were getting into a nice thoughtful rhythm with each other. Also, the man was VERY SENSITIVE to HER MOODS. So, he was teaching her to NOT BE STUBBORN, to discuss what was BOTHERING her, so they could WORK IT OUT. He would say, “It looks like you NEED a HUG.” That would make her LAUGH, he would HUG HER and she would think. SO, he does LOVE ME, he DOES CARE HOW I FEEL. Making her laugh, made her calm down and TRUST that they could be HAPPY together. I THINK we get set in our ways when we have been alone a long time. We fear losing our independence, so we dig our heels in, but we forget that with our OWN family/good friends, we make compromises, so why not with a partner? BRAVO to YOU! Whether he is the one or not, he is HELPING you look within yourself to DETERMINE — do you WANT to be with someone or not. THIS IS NICE. I look forward to your 2nd Month Anniversary!
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Hi Monica,
Thank you for sharing this story about your friend.
I have been behaving a lot like her lately, because of how I felt I was in the past. I feel that in past relationships I lost myself by being too agreeable and forgetting about what was important to me.
In my last long term relationship, ten years ago, I felt I let go of my life to live his. I left my apartment, moved into his house and starting fitting into his life. Even though I had a great time while we were together, after it ended I was lost and felt I had no life of my own.
So, now, I struggle to find a middle ground of compromise, of being accommodating and making sure that I am independent and my own person.
You are right about that and about him helping me determine if I want someone in my life or not. I feel each person that comes into our life teaches us something, and this maybe his part.
On to starting the second month 🙂
Thank you for your support, insight and advice! Blessings!
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Yes, lots of support. I agree with you. When I was married I did all the cleaning, laundry, etc. If I meet a guy, it will be different. He’s ALREADY been doing that on his own. If I start to clean and do laundry — I can’t get mad at him, THAT’s ME falling into OLD patterns. I doubt he will just hand me his laundry or make me do the dishes — KNOW what I mean. SO, I have to take ownership for me FALLING into OLD patterns and NOT blame him for HOW I was before. Here’s a TRICK. Like with the radio, when he changed the channel, PRETEND in your mind he was your sister… HOW would you have responded if she changed the channel? With ME, I would have said to my sibling. HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I WAS LISTENING TO THAT! My twin brother would immediately either say, SORRY or I hate that… THEN we would NEGOTIATE on changing channel. BECOME a little MOER CAREFREE and BE YOURSELF in month 2. Right now, it’s just a friendship, no need to set expectations, right. You are not engaged, you are just having fun. ON TO MONTH TWO! ❤
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Thank you Monica for the wisdom and experience. There were different ways I could have handled the radio situation. I chose the worst one. Looking at us, as just a friendship for now, it will help me not to take everything as a personal offense and a message that he doesn’t care. Baby steps, but I am getting it. On to month two indeed!! 20 days to go lol
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Beautiful article yes ego always makes a person very mean and absolutely we can’t change the world but we can only change ourselves. Well shared thanks 😊👍
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Thank you Priti!
Blessings to you!
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You are welcome 🙂 God bless you 😘
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Yay! I like this guy for you. I like that he noticed and said, “Ana where did you go.” That’s important.
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Hi KE,
He is a good guy and he does pay attention; we shall see if I am able to navigate this.
Wishing you a blessed week!
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Roy T Bennett has some wonderful advice there. You are very insightful, Ana. I admire your ability to be in the now -and avoid self-sabotage!
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Thank you so much Jan!
I am always trying to learn the lessons and do better!
Blessings!
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You’re on to something with the radio stations, Ana, something I can probably work on myself. Because I hate the commercials, I’m constantly pushing the presets (while I drive) until I find music. My habit probably drives my wife right there in the front passenger seat nuts but she never says anything about it. Maybe she’s taking a deep breath and thinking, “not worth the argument”. I think we both take deep breaths, enough to let the little things slide and to save real arguments for the more substantial topics. Seems to work for us.
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Hi Dave,
Thank you for sharing your own radio issues 🙂 You are right, your wife is very smart and probably doesn’t think it is worth an argument.
I am really making more of an effort to pick my battles, not everything is worth being moody over. Actually nothing is worth being moody about it, but some things are worth a conversation so that hurt feelings don’t fester and then becomes a much bigger issue. Baby steps for me.
Blessings!
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Many congratulations! I think you have a keeper, Ana. It isn’t easy finding a partner who is patient. My OCD and other problems can make me act strangely at times. I think I would try the patience of a saint. My husband was the first person who truly ‘got me’. In all honesty, I am not sure I was madly, truly in love with him when I married but I knew he was the right one for me. Our love for each other has intensified over the years but it has sometimes waned too (it isn’t always in synch either). I am rooting for both of you. K x
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Hi Kerry,
Thank you so much! He is looking more and more like a keeper indeed.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I do think that I also try the patience of guys that like me. I question everything, I push buttons, I pick fights. I think I do things to see if they are going to run or are in for the long haul. So far he is been doing a great job at bringing me back to the moment when I start to go off on tangents.
Blessings to you!
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Whatever happens, we get most pleasure if we live in the moment, Ana. I still remember previous relationships with pleasure – mostly!
No regrets. K x
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I aim for that: no regrets! 🙂
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Have a lovely weekend, Ana!
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thank you and to you as well! 🙂
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Thank you for that post, I needed to hear all of those wonderfully wise words.
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Thank you for the visit! I am glad that something here resonated with you!
Blessings to you!
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Wait Ana Star… did you say Anniversary?!
Wow! Happy Anniversary. I’m thrilled for you. the flowers are gorgeous and I love this man already!💖🌻🙏
love this…
“He is trying hard to be understanding, and I am trying hard just being in the moment and not creating problems where there are none.
Good on you to stay mindful!
💖👏👏👏👏 YAYYYYYY
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Yes!!! 1 whole month!!! He is a great guy, so I am enjoying each moment.
Thank you for the encouragement and support!!
Blessings!
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Wow…. I’m soooo happy to hear this great news.
You’re so welcome. Keep enjoying, loving and learning.💖💖
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Thank you for sharing!!.. it appears he is trying and working with you… you have spent time building walls to protect yourself in history’s past and it will take time to bring them down.. keep talking to him letting him know some of the issues and follow your heart.. “True love doesn’t happen right away; it’s an ever-growing process. It develops after you’ve gone through many ups and downs, when you’ve suffered together, cried together, laughed together, loved together.” (Ricardo Montalban).. 🙂
Until we meet again..
May flowers always line your path
and sunshine light your way,
May songbirds serenade your
every step along the way,
May a rainbow run beside you
in a sky that’s always blue,
And may happiness fill your heart
each day your whole life through.
(Irish Saying)
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Hi Larry,
I love this: “you have spent time building walls to protect yourself in history’s past and it will take time to bring them down” I think that is exactly what is going on.
Thank you for the wisdom and have a blessed weekend!
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“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together”… (Marilyn Monroe)… 🙂
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When we did our pre-marital counseling, the Mrs-to-be wondered how to answer the question about whether we would share household chores 50/50, as she hates cleaning and I’m, well, Felix form the Odd Couple. The minister, from the church she grew up in, gave a homely on how we were TOO compatible, thus our task as a couple would be learn “learn to fight”. Relationships are inherently about conflict. But the problem is not the conflict, it is finding a method of resolving what station to listen too, which way to put a new roll of toilet paper on, when to express affection, and when to bring a cup of coffee and say nothing. That takes years to affect. We are on 29 now, and still bump into each other at times. Your task is to enjoy the month two. – Oscar
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I love this Oscar! This part specifically, was on point for me: “Relationships are inherently about conflict. But the problem is not the conflict, it is finding a method of resolving”. It helps me look at potential conflicts (imagined or otherwise), in a whole new way. I will be better prepared for them.
Congratulations on 29 years!! So, who does most of the household chores?
Thank you again for sharing your experience and wisdom!
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Felix, of course.
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haha, of course!
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I know exactly the experience you so vividly describe, as I have often found myself in your shoes.
Your takeaway is inspiring; I do not enjoy looking back on my moodiness, as it is often over something trivial, so being able to look at it a little more positively in the thought that at least I recognize my weaker moments is a wonderful way to grow!
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Thank you so much Jaya! I try to look at everything with positive eyes, and always try to see if there is a lesson or something I can change. I don’t often succeed, but sometimes I am able to learn the lesson and not repeat mistakes.
Blessings!
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