How do you keep getting back up when life keeps knocking you down?

Sometimes life seems really hard. It can be natural disasters, personal crisis, death of a loved one or friend or even death of a pet. Usually it is something in your life that means a lot to you that is suddenly taken from you. How do we deal with this?

Often we are able to deal with one thing or even two, but what happens when it is one thing after another and it feels as if life itself has turned on you?

This is how I am feeling at the moment, a frinds family murdered in the US, a beautiful little dog run over before our eyes, the sudden unepected death of a cousin and then our plans to travel turned upside down. Even little things like deciding to repaint the deck and we get a week of rain.

Sometimes I find I can deal with the big things, but it's all the little ones tacked on that undo me.

Firstly I know from experience we need to reach out to others at times like this, be it friends or a crisis support line, it's important to know that others understand the pain you are suffering. They can't change it, but they can be there.

Secondly, be kind to yourself, allow yourself pleanty of sleep (if you can) or rest if you can't, try to plan somethings during the day to keep you busy, it helps take your mind off things, even if just for a few minutes at a time. If you feel like crying, allow yourself to cry, it is all part of the healing process.

Thirdly, try not to focus on just the things that are going wrong, ask friends to remind you of some of the good things in your life, you probably won't be able to think of any for yourself. The pain is too overwhelming.

I get very angry at God when things like this happen, but I still need him as ultimetly he is the only one who can help me through this. It is alright to let him know you are mad at him, but also remember to ask him to help you get through it.

Finally the only other solace I have found is to get out in nature. For me I go down to the beach and sit and watch the movement of the ocean and it makes me realise that I am only a tiny speck in this universe and somehow, even if I don't know how, I will get through this.

Be kind to yourself, eat chocolate, cry, sleep and ultimately keep putting one foot in front of the other and lean on your friends and family, allow others to help where they can. I will add an image here that hopefully will bring a momentary smile to your face.

Do you like my manicure?

Love to each and everyone of you.

Use fear to your advantage!!!

This is a great video about how to use fear to our advantage. Go check it out http://marieforleo.com/2011/04/fear-advantage-cool-brain-trick/

Are you tired of living with pain?

Do titles like this get you excited, that maybe someone can help you...and then all they offer is some simplistic solution to a very complex problem.
I get so fed up with peoples advice and quick fix solutions. If they would work then I wouldn't be where I am today. Obviously if you suffer chronic, long term, pain it is not easily fixable. That doesn't mean we don't try what is available & keep hoping for a miracle, but sometimes people's attitude make the road so much harder than it needs to be.
I get very disillutioned when other people try something I have tried and it works magically for them. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy for them but I then think "Why can't that be me."
At times like this the only releif I get is to take myself out in nature and sit with the birds or the blossoms or the ocean and let the peace it brings wash over me & realise that everyone's road is different & there is a reason for me having to tread this one even if I don't know what it is.
Do you get down and discouraged? What have you found that works for you?

Child abuse

Have you heard the latest, apparently giving kids time out is corporal punishment and is soon to be banned in daycare centres in Australia. From there one can guess where it will lead...parents won't be able to use time out.

Apparantly we should allow kids to set there own limits!!!

Then we spend millions trying to fix our teen crime problems and ultimatly blame the parents...this is a nanny stat gone mad.

Yes this is a healing art blog and as such all manner of healing and health issues are addressed and beleive me this will be a health issue of the future.
Already they are saying we have a generation of nacasists, children that we have raised with an exaggerated sence of self from never being able to tell them they are anything other than brilliant. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge beleiver in being positive and building up our kids, but lets build there self esteem, not there egos.

Maybe it should be a prerequisite for would be parents to do parenting classes and poloticians in roles related to child upbringing should have to have had children!

What are your thoughts on all this and what ways will we have to teach children healthy boundaries?