Buoyant

If you had fun reading He's Just Not That Into You, you might also enjoy It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Breakup Buddy (by Greg Behrendt & Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt). If you haven't read either one yet, don't be discouraged by the trendy sex-in-the-city titles. Once you start reading, you'll see that the titles are more than just catchy catch phrases.

In fact, these books are filled with many helpful mantras, memorable mottoes, and antidotes to fretfulness. Greg and Amiira's real-life concepts are pertinent not just to break-ups and broken hearts, but to all kinds of relationships -- friends, neighbors, family. They conclude with the following inspirational guidelines:

"Here are the great things that I already know about myself: I am stronger than I thought I was. I am resilient and buoyant in the face of emotional adversity. I am also buoyant in water. The best investment I can make is in myself. I feel good about myself every day." Keep going . . . and finish with "Let's face it, I rock."

Now make a list of what you want . . . as detailed as you can. Now place one hand over your heart and repeat . . .

I promise to make a firm commitment to living and breathing my list every day, in every relationship, friendship, job, and experience that comes my way, from here to eternity and three weeks beyond that.
(254-55)

Just reading those confidence-building words is enough to make me feel buoyant, in water and otherwise!

I'm reminded of the sense of amazement that filled me when I used to see Ben up on the high dive -- at age six, or so! Sam, who would have been three - something and anxious to be just like his brother, would then ask me, "Mom, who do you think will be the next one in our family to go off the high dive?" I always answered, "Well, it will definitely not be me; so maybe it will be you!" I did go off the low dive a couple of times, just to set an example for them, but that was my limit! I honestly don't think I could have jumped off that high dive to save my life, though perhaps to save my children's lives, yes, I would -- for that I would have done anything!