I've been playing single dad all week to feisty 3-year-old Skye, and just a few months ago I would never have told you that I would have enjoyed it so much!
Sure, it has been 'interesting' at times, but I've noticed that, when I was married I would mentally look upon a lot of parenting stuff as an 'effort'. Now that I don't have much choice (and certainly appreciate my girls more), I find that I've changed.
Except, outwardly I haven't changed much - it's my ATTITUDE that has changed - and I can tell you that it has made a huge difference to how I look at how I spend my time generally.
You see, there are many things where you have to literally take a deep breath before you start them - usually because they don't come naturally to you.
Yet, physically, there is often NO reason why you can't easily do whatever it may be - it's what you THINK about what you need to do that causes problems!.
Now, despite what I may have thought about myself in the past in regards to being a dad (or whatever I had been told about it in the past) - I now KNOW that I am more than capable of being as good a dad as anyone else. It wasn't that I was never around before, or didn't take an active role in the upbringing of my girls - it was just my attitude about my ability to do so was different. This was then outwardly reflected in how I appeared when I spent time with them. (You know what I mean!)
You see, it compares with public speaking. It's one of those things that are worse the more you think about it - yet, once you just get on with it - it's nowhere near as bad as you thought! Plus, once you do it once or twice - you realize that you are more than able to do it.
For me, it's taken me out of my comfort zone...but, like everything that I have done in the last six years, I have ONLY benefitted from it!
Remember - unless YOU try to do different things, or just push yourself in a slightly different direction, then you will NEVER discover what you COULD do if you really tried.
Not only that, once you realize this (and I will hold my hands up and say that I forgot it over the last few months because of my seperation) then your self-confidence will only increase, as well as your self-belief.
I'm a better person, as well as being a better dad...and I can certainly guarantee that if YOU just nudge yourself in a slightly different direction, you too will find out that you have talents and capabilities that you would never have believed!
Just try it and see for yourself...
Posted by vurnumg
