 | Lisa Vermillion is President and co-owner of Get Fit Bee Fit and Thin and Healthy Weight Management. Lisa opened Get Fit- 4 years ago in Valley Center, after receiving certifications thorough the American Council on Exercise as a Weight and Lifestyle Management Consultant and Certified Personal Trainer. In January, she Grand Opened Thin and Healthy Weight Management in the same location. Lisa not only provides weight loss programs for individuals but she also implements business wellness programs for small businesses and large corporations. Additionally, Lisa is a Certified Life Coach providing guidance for individuals in the areas of career, relationship and personal development. She is available for speaking engagements in the areas of Physical Fitness, Weight Management, or any Life Coaching area (goal setting, positive attitude, sales, etc). Lisa can be reached for questions or speaking engagements by phone (316) 755-1115 or email at mvmillion@yahoo.com |
Mental Health
2013-03-01 11:23:07
Coping with the rough stuff in life
Q-I was visiting with a friend this week who is going through some rough stuff: a recent surgery, an ill relative, and she's getting ready to face chemotherapy. My otherwise over-the-top positive friend was struggling a little to find some courage at this time in her life. Do you have any advice that I could share with her to help her through this rough patch?
A-Here is a simple three-part strategy that I've used over the years that has helped me and others cope when we're faced with the rough stuff life sometimes throws at us.
First, find all the positive stuff you can get your hands on — uplifting music, good books and great people. It takes 20 positives to overcome one negative. Immerse yourself on purpose with positive.
Perhaps you have a well- intentioned friend that just doesn’t have the word positive in her vocabulary. It’s important for you to know that you have permission to stop Negative Nelly in her tracks when she starts telling you about her aches and pains, or her horror stories about someone in a similar situation. Simply hold up your hand to stop her, let her know you appreciate what she's telling you, but you'd prefer to keep everything around you positive right now. Will her feelings be hurt? Perhaps, but it's OK to take care of you for a moment.
Second, look for great quotes or sayings that especially give you encouragement. Write them down in a notebook or journal. The internet is a wealth of quotes, but Bible verses, poems and song lyrics are also great sources. Ask your friends what their favorites are. You don't need to keep all of them, but definitely have a special place you keep the ones that help you.
The one I gave my friend was: “If He brings you to it, He'll bring you through it." She plans to use it as her mantra. I also recently found a devotional book called “Jesus Calling”. It’s written from the perspective of Jesus talking directly to the reader. I highly recommend it.
Third, use your journal. Writing positive stuff down and never looking at it again probably won't give you strength past a few minutes. Rather, look at your uplifting words daily. Start your morning by reading them first thing, thus setting a positive tone for the entire day. When you're feeling down, grab your journal and read what you've written, keeping some notes regarding how the words affect your outlook.
You might not have control over your circumstances, but you have complete control about how you choose to look at them. That choice determines your misery or your peace in the midst of the strife.
I saw a quote by Winston Churchill that sums it up, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Looking for positives, keeping them in a journal and using them to give you a boost probably won't make the issue go away, but these steps will definitely help you draw up some more strength to keep going.
