Every Monday at my office we get a flower delivery for the front entry way.  Every day I pass by those flowers without a single thought.  This day was different.  I actually noticed the flowers, could appreciate their beauty and stopped to actually smell them.  While I sniffed in their aroma, thoughts of beauty and appreciation filled my head.  Positive feelings came about as the beautiful smell triggered nice thoughts and a warm feeling inside.  By their smell, it just made me feel better inside.

When you are with Ed, you don’t stop to smell the flowers.  You can’t and don’t appreciate beauty as you can’t even see it because Ed has you in darkness.  Feeling warmth and seeing positive images are hard to come by as Ed tries to convince you that only he can provide warmth and positive energy.  Well…he is WRONG.  He can do no such thing.  Ed does not give actual feelings of warmth, positiveness or beauty.  He gives a false sense of it all through his manipulation and lies.  Don’t believe him.

I encourage you to stop and smell the flowers and see what feelings and vision they bring to you.  Be literal and go buy a bunch of flowers.  Look at them, smell them and appreciate them.  Go outside, take a deep breath and look around.  Take in the beauty of the trees, the sounds of the cars, the children laughing, the dogs barking and appreciate your surroundings.  Take a deep breath and appreciate YOU.

Be mindful of what you take in and your reaction to it. Journal about it to validate and feel its worth.  You may be surprised what comes up when you start looking around, smelling and appreciating.  So, push Ed aside and tell him NO as you stop and take a sniff.  Look around, take notice and see what it brings you…all without Ed.  You deserve to stop and smell the flowers.

 

With health, hope and strength,

Cheryl