Tag: handling stress

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RECOVERING FROM FRIDAY 13TH

Are you superstitious?  I used to be, until I finally stopped attending psychic fairs.  But last Friday,  I began to reconsider my feelings about the power of the supernatural.  After a really bad day, I’m still recovering from Friday the 13th.

It began at 5:30 a.m.  I ‘m awakened by severe leg cramps.  Tossing and turning, I try to make them stop. But when I jump out of bed, I feel dizzy.  Not sick, no fever, just that my head is spinning.

After calming  down, I  decide to go for a swim to clear my head. At 8:30 a.m. I pack up my gear and head for the local college pool.  It”s  cold, and I have to park a long way from the sports center.  Trudging  up the hill, I see that the lights are turned off, and the pool is closed.  Bummer.  Shrug, it’s just one of those things.

Return home and check my iphone.  Battery life down to 3%.  Plug the cable in; nothing happens.  This means I’ll have to drive to AT&T, which will probably mean a long wait. Then, I’ll have the hassle and expense of a new phone.

I go to check my rental property where I’m paying a painter by the hour.  But, he’s not there, the work isn’t finished, and I’ve already paid him 4 times as much as anyone else who’s done the work before.

Back home, I flip on the TV, and see that the President of the United States has been impeached.  No matter which political party you support, this is very bad for our country.  It’s going to be a gloomy Christmas holiday in Washington DC.
On Fri. 13, my computur was hit by a virus
A virus hit my computer on Friday the 13th.

Turn on my computer and find I’ve been hit by a virus.  Can’t access any of my apps like Google, or Word.   Do a system restore which takes over an hour.  Download and re install Chrome, but can’t activate Word.  Block my antivirus program, do another system restore.  Still no Word.  Can’t open any of my documents.  Call the web host for my blog, and talk to a service rep with an incomprehensible accent.  Looks like I’ll have to wait until next week, to call Geek Squad

Jump in the car and head to AT&T.  Service rep finds I have a broken cable. Whew, easy to fix.  He plugs it in, and while I wait for a recharge, he says I really need a new phone because my battery is old.  I take his word for it and reach for my credit card, but it turns out my husband has to be there because the contract is in his name. (More about this in next post)  I leave for Kroger Store, and can’t find my credit card.  Return to AT&T, root thru my purse, finally find the card.  In my confusion, I’ve stuck it in a hidden slot.

Now I’m driving home, and falling back on meditation techniques.  Breathe in, breathe out. Don’t sweat the small stuff.  Stay calm. Nothing catastrophic has happened. Breathe in, breathe out. My house didn’t burn down. I haven’t wrecked my car. I don’t have a serious illness (that I know of).  Back home,  I’m outwardly calm.  I fix dinner as usual, and listen to the news.

When stressed out, meditation helps
When feeling stressed, it helps to stop and breathe slowly, in and out.

Good news:  Sat  morning,  I open my computer after  doing another system restore, and I have all my apps back. I can use Word to write this blog.  I can go through Google.  My head is clear.  My iphone works fine with a new cable.  A new Nafta trade agreement was signed by Congress.  Hooray!

And yet,  I’m still in recovery mode. And now I can’t open AOL.  How was your Friday the 13th?

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6 WAYS TO PREPARE FOR ADVERSITY

Most of the things we worry about never happen.  As granny used to say, “Don’t borrow trouble.”  90% of the tragedies  in life come from out of the blue.  You can’t anticipate car crashes, tsunamis, tornadoes, fatal disease, or all of the  painful happenings that human beings must endure.    How do we get through difficult times?  By strengthening ourselves during the good times, so that we’re more resilient when trouble comes  Here  are 6 ways to prepare for adversity.

1.  Cultivate the habit of thinking positively.    Enjoy the small things in life such as a sunny day or a cup of hot  coffee. . Training yourself to think positive thoughts  will help you through times of sorrow. Remember Little Orphan Annie’s song, “The Sun Will Come Up Tomorrow?”  When negative thoughts enter your mind, tell yourself, Don’t Think.  Switch over to happy thoughts or find something to laugh about.

2.

Meditation helps lower blood pressure and handle stress
Daily meditation helps us handles stress, and lowers blood pressure

Practice meditation. .  This is a powerful way to calm yourself and lower  blood pressure.  There are various meditation apps available on the internet, but it’s all about. taking  ten minutes a day to  close your eyes and focus on your breathing.  By forming this daily habit, you’ll have a ready  coping mechanism to fall back on when you’re upset.

3.  Engage in some type of physical activity on a regular basis.  If you can’t jog, walk your way through the stress.  Exercise releases powerful endorphins in your body to improve your mood. It also lowers blood pressure and strengthens your heart muscle

4. Develop relationships with positive, supportive people.  They will be there when you need someone to listen, help, and encourage you.

5.. Take Care of Yourself.  Eat nourishing food. Get enough sleep.  Stay at home when you’re sick. Don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol.  A healthy body is more resilient.

6.   Schedule some time alone, especially if you’re feeling stressed. .  Disconnect from the outer world . Shut off your cell phone, avoid e mail and television news programs.   Listen  to music, read a book, or head for the  river and enjoy the solace of water.

Above all, stay strong.  You can make it through the tough times.