renacimiento

My sister and I have both been going through some really hard times. Anyone following me has already read about them here, here,here,here,here and here. Tonight, Iris confided in me that she’s been having a lot of the same issues that I went through last year (and sadly, still struggle with this year). Together, we complied a checklist of things that have helped us to keep (relatively) calm and carry on (as best as we can). Maybe they’ll help you too.

PROTECT YOUR SANITY

1. Spend less time with screens. No T.V., no Internet, no movies, no cell-phones, no billboards. Do this for at least a day, as needed. 
2. Get out with people who care about you— your friends, your family, your workmates. DO NOT ISOLATE YOURSELF. Seek the support of the people who love you.
3.  Do not be afraid to ask for help. 
4.  Find perspective. Looking at pictures of nature, of space or other beautiful, awe-inspiring things helps you to not focus so much on your own problems. 
5. Get out in nature.
6. Remember that every bad situation is temporary. Every situation resolves itself with time.
7. Accept that pain is a normal part of life in this world.
8. Take care of yourself. Get exercise, get enough sleep and eat a balanced diet. Seek help if needed to do this. Taking care of yourself physically is an important step in healing a troubled mind.
9. Volunteer. There’s a lot of suffering going around right now. When you volunteer, you put down your burden and help take away someone else’s. Good places to start are at places of worship, senior citizen homes, camps, clubs for children, homeless shelters, environmental groups and hospitals.
10. Take control of your life. No matter who’s in your life, decision-making is up to you. Life is too short to let other people make decisions for you, especially if those decisions are against what will make you happy.
11. Cultivate and maintain realistic expectations of yourself, the people around you and the life you have been given. 
12. Embrace the state of being human. Embrace your own humanity. This means acknowledging that you’re going to make mistakes, have negative emotions, feel the need to talk about it (or not talk about it), feel the need (or not) to seek help and feel the need  (or not) to grieve, weep or cry. All of these things are normal and a part of being human. 
13. I know that not everybody is a believer, but I am. The power of prayer has helped me to persevere through a lot of turbulence. Jehovah God’s hand in my life has made anything doable. (Romans 12:12) I highly recommend, as the psalmist did, to “pour out your heart” to the Lord, and let Him help you fight your battles. You will come off victorious. (Psalms 62:8)