Ways to a positive Wellbeing

Its been just over a year that I have been home since breaking my leg and then diagnosed with Essential Tremors;
It has been just over a year that I have had to make sense of a lot of emotional, physical and spiritual issues in my life;
It has been just over a year now that I have had to reflect and learn that,  in order to survive within myself, daily, I would have to focus on my well being. 

  

What is important to realise, when we give from within, enjoy doing, embrace new or exciting experiences, motivate and encourage others and importantly appreciate the smallest things in life...like hearing the birds tweeting as dawn breaks (and yes you still awake and haven't slept a wink)...that life is great.

Daily we need to realise that,  even though God directs the path we travel, we as humans are also the masters and mistresses of our lives...in other words, we can huddle in a corner and play the pity party game or we can wake up each day and enjoy the beauty and wonder that each day brings.

Grasp each moment with the wonder that only life can bring.

Be blessed....

The Power of a Smile

Think about this for a moment.  How important is a smile to you?  How does it make you feel, to smile, to be smiled at?   For me, a smile can turn the day around. The Power of a Smile can instantly transform a frown or bring sunshine to a gray day. Yet how often do we take "the opportunity to smile" for granted?  Again, for me, I know I do.

When I was still working, I had a pic of a jester printed and stuck on the wall that said SMILE.  As you entered my office that was the first thing one saw, and no matter how down, stressed, frustrated or anxious a university student was, when they left my office they always left smiling, and, they quickly learnt never to enter the office without a smile.  I recently received an email from a graduate student, saying how she misses being encouraged with a smile, that this became the one thing she looked forward to when returning to student residence, know her spirits will be lifted.  

Sharing this with you has me smiling with memories, it makes one feel that nothing was in vain, that someone's heart was reached.

How often now, as we find ourselves in some or other frustrating health or physically challenging situation, do we smile....even randomly?  Are we so focussed on our own issues that we cant just smile at a stranger, at something funny and let the Power of our Smile affect those we come in contact with.

I challenge you today, next time you feel downhearted, frustrated or challenged by your health situation...dig out those pictures that make you smile, think back to moments that made you laugh and smile....as you walk about in a shopping mall, make eye contact with someone really looking down and SMILE....just smile for the sake of smiling...you will love how it makes you feel, and you will smile more when you see the reaction on peoples' faces.

A smile is a powerful tool, you can even break ice with it

Why is a smile important to you?

Focusing on your well being

So,...... I thought I would share some ideas that make caring for yourself a manageable reality.

While there is no magic cure to relieve some of the realities of what we face with our various disabilities, taking time for ourself helps. A good place to start is for couples to talk with each other about their self care needs and then co-create nourishing and re-energizing opportunities for them as individuals and as a couple, or to chat to a friend or family member.   Its not a pity party by no means, and its also important for the person listening to know that.
For both, self care, whether spiritually, physically or emotionally can seem elusive or inconceivable and for some, even unacceptable, however, its very important to focus on our well being....this is what drives one, it sure drives me even when I feel I am in an emotional doldrum or if its a bad day health wise.

It is so important that we are reminded that in any type of relationship, i.e. with yourself, your partner, friend, family member(s), we find the "us" in maintaining any form of relationship.

• Let go of the notion you have to do it all by yourself.
• Identify what is extraneous and depletes your energy.
• Practice saying "no" on occasion.
• Practice saying "i need your help".
• Learn to share responsibilities with your spouse/family/friend, if you can, know matter how small.
• Overcome being intimidated by others who seem to do this effortlessly.
• Find a Life Coach who work respectfully with you.
• Broaden your skills to better handle stressful behaviors or circumstances.
• Find environments that fit your needs (e.g. don't go to supermarkets when its busy, avoid peak hour traffic if it creates tension).
• Network with people who have similar situation/disabilities you are in or are just starting to face, to learn what lies ahead and discover their coping strategies and techniques.

Meeting your own needs can come in a variety of forms, depending on what would be fulfilling at a given time. Perhaps your internal batteries can be recharged with quiet reflection and other times rejuvenated by having contact with people whom you feel close and understood.  I know, that just enjoying the view of the sea or being in a scenic nature environment helps me to focus on my well being 

Ideas to consider for revitalization are:
Develop a relationship with someone you can trust; 
Block out non-negotiable time for you and your spouse on your calendar.
Go out on dates with your spouse, friend, family — something interesting, novel and fun.
Find a form of exercise you like to do; designate time, even if for short periods — it will be invigorating.
Meditate, learn relaxation techniques.
Listen to uplifting music.
Get involved in something you thought you would never do and things you like to do. It builds up your reserves.
Start or join a book club, support or discussion group.
Attend the theatre, lectures, movies, music and/or sporting events.
Get good rest, including power naps.
Keep a private journal to pour out your dark thoughts and negative feelings.
Create a space for a safe haven in your home; make it your special retreat.

Its important to realise that challenging your attitude about self care and not abandoning your needs, will allow you to gain new perspectives about renewal and energy. 
Often, by making yourself do some of these things, you'll discover you cope more effectively, minimizing the risk of burnout (physically or emotionally). You deserve to claim time and space for yourself. In being creative, your possibilities are endless.

I want to end off by saying, all the above is good and very important, but the most important aspect when focusing on your well being, is LAUGHTER, a jolly good dosage of this and to be added as part of your Chronic Medication.

“Laughter is wine for the soul - laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness - the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.”
― Seán O'Casey

Time for my cuppa ...greetings to you

Identifying that Monster in your Disability

Identifying that Monster in your Disability

I suppose the 100 000 000Rand$EuroPound question is:  How to Identify and challenge that Monster in your Disability?

Being diagnosed with Essential Tremors was a monster in itself for me, but the monsters that are now revealing themselves at unexpected and unwanted times, that pop their heads up or stick their tongues out  when you least expect it, is annoying, frustrating, challenging, embarrassing, humiliating and i'm sure you can add many more words to the list for me.

Using my creative mind to do things, write things (yes like this blog) is something I enjoy and thrive on..., and I used to pride myself in the ability to write well, but now I have a monster rearing its head, thats slows my thinking ability, word formation and the ability to remember how to spell a word and yes even the ability to debate a matter with someone.  There are other monsters too...bad ones, they are pain killers, creating incredibly painful muscle spasms in my back and causing me to be unable to move and do things in a normal physical way.  I need to rely on friends and my son to assist me with tasks and driving me places.

I assure you,  although I have identified these monsters that are trying to cripple my life, its another matter to deal with it on a daily basis and its so easy to just creep into a corner and wallow in self pity.

Besides my faith and belief in God which gives me the strength to face each day, I have realised that I need to make the most of my day, around the monster of the moment, so if I have a clear thinking day...do what ever writing needs doing.

So, do you have monsters threatening to debilitate your life in anyway?

identify that monster and challenge it head on.

surround yourself with positive, joyful, happy people, thoughts and actions.

live every moment, laugh every day and strive to love beyond words.

Give thanks to the Lord, daily, (1 Thessalonians 5:18), prayer and thanksgiving is what will carry you thru the day.

 

Greetings to you...

Chatting to my son some 3979ft above sea level, flying at 800kph and 7143km away from Berlin this evening, gave me a new (although known) perspective to how remarkable life and technology is, high in the air chatting to me and watching the soccer world cup match on tv....amazing!

This got me looking at myself with refreshed eyes.

What could I claim as my identity now that my "shakes" (essential  tremors) has toppled me from my self-assured  perch?

I have let go of expectations. I no longer judge "success"--for myself or others--by what people do, but rather by who they are. I am more accepting of their flaws and of my own. My focus is on being rather than doing, on surrendering rather than controlling, on treasuring sweet moments here and now, rather than striving to scale the top of table mountain in record time.

Now, when people ask me what I do, I say, "I am JOY champion!" 

My "shake" has opened my eyes to the true meaning of life.

I just pray and ask the Lord to "give me oil in my Lamp" daily, and keep me filled with joy, hope, peace, understanding, wisdom .....  and lots of faith.

 Greetings to you....

HALFWAY there...Be INSPIRED

Do you sometimes feel that your sense of creativity has abandoned you? Maybe feeling a little stuck and not able to get much out of you? Finding it difficult to get inspired?

This is more or less how I’ve been feeling for quite a while. Out of creativity. Out of ideas. Out of imagination. Out of inspiration. (Which explains the lack of posts lately). OK well I wouldn’t say totally out of ideas. It’s more like blurred or vague ideas that I couldn’t get my mind to really develop.

And I hate that feeling. I hate feeling stuck. Because usually, I’m the kind of person that gets inspired easily, and thoughts and ideas come flowing right at me. So standing in front of a blank paper and not being able to fill it really drives me crazy.  Or as the thoughts come to me it's like I go into a "brain freeze"...what now?

But then the other day, while I was having coffee with my friend in one of my favorite coffee shops, I saw this:

: “When inspiration does not come to me, I go halfway to meet it”. Wow.

It’s funny how we always wait for inspiration to hit us, to strike us, and to take us by storm. How we sometimes think that it is inspiration’s job to come to us, and our job to wait for it. Feeling uninspired is something very normal, and we all feel not very creative at some point and run short of ideas. But in life, we gotta work for everything and we gotta realize that waiting gets us nowhere. Even when it comes to finding inspiration. Seeing this quote made me realize that it’s also on us. We gotta give inspiration a hand, a chance to find us.

And so I decided that this is exactly what I’m gonna be doing from now on: Meeting inspiration half way. Whenever I feel that I am running out of inspiration, of creativity, I will go and meet inspiration and creativity halfway. And when I find inspiration, I will not stop there either. Because, like I once wrote in one of my very first post somewhere: “it’s not what inspires us that really matters, it’s what we do when we’re inspired“.

May you and I both take a leaf from our own thoughts.

Be inspired........

Step into your passion ......and soar

Greetings to you.....