I soldiered through it, as you called it. And I’m trying to stay positive. I won’t get sucked under… at least I hope I won’t.

If I had close friends here, I would turn to them. However, we’re new here, and there’s no one here, and no where to go. So I turn to my husband. He’s kind of all I have here (adult-wise) to hold me and tell me it’ll be ok.

*hugs*

Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting’s last blog post..Help Keep Organic Fish Organic!

My very best friend in the world has an interesting technique for dealing with struggles. She thinks about her “thing” for a few minutes, then she puts the “thing” in an imaginary box and kicks the box down her imaginary stairs. The simplicity of this concept is sometimes overlooked when we are overwhelmed… but she truly believes that the power in this technique is in the realization that we do have control of our feelings. We may not have control of the situation… but our feelings are our own. Every time.

I have tried this and it does work. But now I am going to add a little disclaimer. I think it works for me better now because I am older, wiser, more experienced with my feelings… and well into menopause. Yes. I have found that with age, I am bothered by “things” far less. I recover from “things” far more quickly. I can kick the crap out of that box… and I feel pretty darn good about it. I have tried to explain this interesting technique to Audrey and Janie, and even to my daughters-in-law, but there is often SO much involved in the dilemma of the moments (like balls and balls and balls of yarn)… that the box may just not be big enough!

I hope this helps! I truly hope!

Mama’s Nest – Ashlee’s last blog post..Anew

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In the short term, during the day when friends aren’t available to lend an ear (though reaching out on twitter actually can help perk me up), but I have to get through a tough day and get the work done, I put on the CD/Tape/Playlist I’ve made for myself called A Positive Vibe – a collection of all of my favorite upbeat, positive songs (lyrics and/or music). They never fail to bring me up and out of my rut and into the light for a while.

I also create a version of this for individual friends when they are going through tough times. The only thing I ask for in return is the name of one song that I should add to my next version. For my birthday, a friend surprised me with her version of A Positive Vibes cd, made just for me – cool! And she might be making on for another friend. Passing the idea along, that made me feel good too.

The song that started me creating my A Positive Vibes CD project was Another Train, by the Poozies (5 celtic women singing a’ Capella). the refrain is “Another Train, that’s all there is. Maybe the next one is yours, get up and climb aboard…” The 1st cd went to a friend whose mom was dying of cancer, I refined it a few years later for myself as my dad was dying of cancer.

Is it okay to ask here, on your blog, what others do to help their friends who are having it rough?

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I also find that a good workout helps. Call me crazy, but sometimes taking that negative energy and making some good out of it (like doing pushups during all the commercial breaks of Grey’s Anatomy the other night) tires me out enough to wear out some of my stress.

It’s the little things.

Sometimes it just helps to know that I’m heard. And I have amazing friends who remind me often that they are there and that I am loved.

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Love,
Steph

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Photos of the 4 month old granddaughter always help, if she’s not around to snuggle with.

And a nice long hike with the mutts. They never care how bad a week Ive had:)

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