June is PTSD Awareness Post II

The first post I did spoke about some of the events causing trauma and some of the symptoms a person might experience.  Maybe now you recognize trauma in yourself and wonder what now.  Here are some tips to coping with traumatic events.

Taking My Own Advice

One of my goals of trying the 30 posts in 30 days challenge was to get writing regularly again.  You see how well that worked out.  The phenomenal thing is that I finally feel like I have time to write again.  During my little hiatus I decided to take my own advice.  I decided to remember that life is meant to be lived and not endured and that a person can’t profit from  a risk if they never take a chance.  I decided to take a chance. As much as I love private practice, I did not enjoy my day job.  I love the patients I saw but the job itself- not so much.  So,   I quit my W-2 job and decided to jump full into private practice.  This means I am relying totally on myself to make enough money to live.  This is  a scary proposition but worth it to do what I love.  

Hopefully, I will have more time to be creative and relish all that life puts before me. 

Quote

“Sometimes I can hear my bones straining under the weight of all the lives I'm not living.” 
― Jonathan Safran Foer

I saw this quote today and something about the words touched me.  Sometimes, I feel exactly this way.  I feel there are so many possibilites and so many paths not taken.  The real tragedy, I think, would to not dare to live at least one full, amazing life.  What barriers are you putting up to living the life you can imagine.  Tear those barrier downs.  Then you can think about the path you are taking and revel.

Mindfulness, Mortification and Memories

I was recently able to go on a trip to Orlando, Florida for my cousin’s wedding celebration.  It was a good time to connect and enjoy those that are important in my life.
(And who knew Mickey and Minnie would come to the reception.)  These are my random thoughts on mindfulness, mortification and memories.

Mindfulness

Wedding preparations started months earlier.  Talk of plane tickets and places to stay and what to where have been forefront for quite awhile.  Finally the time for the trip arrived.  I heard from several people the statement “It will be over before you know it.”  There was a lot of anticipation and a lot of activities once in Florida.  The
worry with this situation is that there is so much to do in such a
short amount of time it is possible to forget about actually enjoying
the moments.  I wanted to avoid it being “over before I know it” and forgetting to enjoy my trip.  Trying to practice what I preached I made sure I took
moments to just be.  I looked off the 18th floor balcony overlooking
Epcot Center and Downtown Disney, feeling the wind, hearing the
background noises and enjoying the view.  When I was getting bored in
a ride, I would try to stop and focus on the ride, who I was with, and
what was being said – not thinking about the rest of the trip.  At the
wedding and reception I tried to focus on enjoying myself in each
moment whether it was the beauty of the vows, or the rhythm of dancing
or photos being taken or who I was talking to and not when I’d get sleep, or when I needed to get to the airport or how much money I spent.   Taking time and effort to be
mindful helped the vacation be much more meaningful and relaxing than
it may have been if I was task or worry oriented.

Mortification
I also had a mortifying experience during my trip.  Yes, I am sharing
it with everyone out there.  I was on Mission Space (or something) at
Epcot Center and did not follow the instructions.  Yep, I  closed my eyes and felt very disoriented.  (Reminder to self:  Sometimes rules are there for a reason.)  I became nauseous and yes I actually got sick on the ride.  For a
grown woman this is beyond mortifying.  You know what though?  I lived
through it.  Sometimes it is necessary to be reminded that each of us
has the ability to live through awkward, embarrassing or anxiety filled moments.

My 10 year old cousin offered the statement “Don’t worry Julie.
Sometimes things happen in life.  It is OK.”  Nice wisdom and compassion from him. (Of course the second his oldest brother got in the van he said “Hey,
Julie threw up on the ride!)

Sometimes when something happens that mortifies you remember how you
handle it says a lot.  You can live through it.  You will be OK.  You will not be forever marked.  You can be a role model for others.  You teach your kids that bad things happen but you can make it through.  Embarrassment is not the end of the world.  A mortifying moment is not a catastrophe.

Memories
Memories are part of our identity.  They help us with meaning.  They can
be a source of joy and contentment.  All the situations from this trip will be
cherished memories that will remind me of who I am and can be shared
with those I am close to.  I am sure sometime in my future someone in
my family will jokingly ask if I’ll be able to handle going on a
Merry-go-Round or something.  I’ll remember the weather and laughing
or worrying with friends.  The memories help me be who I am.  What
jokes does your family share year after year.  Which memories are the
most precious to you?

I am grateful for being able to practice mindfulness, live through the mortification and cherish my memories from the trip.

Choices

I shared this link on my professional facebook page today so I am double posting but I really wanted to share.       Living on $9.00/hour

Yesterday I was being a bit hard on myself about money choices.  I was also being a little less compassionate than I usually am about other people's choices with money.  The universe responded by putting this activity into my view.


It is interactive and walks you through the choices you might have to make each month if you have no money.  I know this is life for many of you and many others who are working hard and struggling more.   Go ahead and complete the activity.  Change your choice of job and your choices around spending money and the activity will give you different choices to think about.  The reality is that this activity doesn't even include everything a person might have to spend money on in a month.

For my part I am going to try to be more compassionate towards myself and others today.