THE NIGHT IS DARK, AND I AM SMALL

Grim days ...  we've all had them.  You might be going through one right now.
“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
― Maya Angelou

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.”
― Mary Anne Radmacher

Sandra, my best friend, who is fighting cancer, recently told me,

"Some storms never leave.  You have to learn to dance in the rain."

IT IS NOT HOW WE SEE THE STORM BUT HOW WE SEE OURSELVES

1.) Realize that you are an amazing creation

    
Your immune system is intricate and amazing.

    Your mind contains the potential to create by-passes to re-route your thinking past damaged areas.

     During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, I saw simple people rally and become heroes.  You can, too.

2.) Still feel down?

    
Get your endorphins going and your body moving by taking a brisk walk or lifting some weights (even soup cans or water bottles).  Expensive equipment is not necessary.

3.) Still down?

 Go to your city's homeless shelter or Salvation Army Food Center -- help out those who are hungry and hurting.  Getting involved with the hurts of others might make yours seem less urgent.

4.) Make your body work FOR you:

Dopamine is the fuel that keeps people motivated to persevere and achieve a goal.

You have the power to increase your production of dopamine by changing your attitude and behavior.

 Scientists have identified higher levels of dopamine -- also known as the "reward molecule" --

as being linked to forming lifelong habits, such as perseverance.

    
A.) Feel Fat?

     
B.) Take the emphasis off talk of "obesity"

 C.) Shift it to empowering  yoursef to want be healthy because you learn to love the feelings and consequences of being physically active and eating better.

The biggest pay-off isn't simply the shedding of pounds or lowering BMI, 

it is the broad spectrum of improvements that activity and health brings to your personal and academic lives.

5.) FIXING THE BLAME DOESN'T FIX THE PROBLEM:

     
A.) Stop caressing the problem

     
B.) See yourself walking away from the battle a winner.

    
C.) Brainstorm every way imaginable to solve the problem -- even ones that seem far-fetched.

6.) BREAK DOWN THE PROBLEM BEFORE YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN:

    
 Most problems can be broken down into do-able units. 

 Clean up your basement one corner at a time.  

Change that tire one lug at a time.  Run that mile one step after another.

7.) THE CLOCK IS TICKING:

    
 I once saw an early black and white movie on the Titanic where all through the movie there was a clock in the lower right hand corner of the screen counting down the minutes to that iceberg.

     
As I saw people bicker about such trivial things or ignore each other, wasting precious, fleeting moments --  I realized we all have that little clock ticking down.

    
 Let the small stuff slide.  Appreciate the beauty and the people around you while you have them.


8.) WALK YOUR INNER CHILD:


A walk often blows away the mental cobwebs and brightens the mood.


Try seeing your walk as you might have as a small child: sense the wonder of a falling leaf, the joy of a scampering squirrel, and the feel of a snowflake on your tongue.


9.) LAUGHTER MAY NOT BE THE BEST MEDICINE BUT ...

     The human mind/body relationship is odd. 


If you force a smile even when you are not happy,


the endorphins are still released in a small amount ... and you feel slightly better.


     But don't over-do it: folks might throw a net over you!
***
For my friend, Patricia Stoltey, here is a photo of my kitten, Midnight: