When it rains…it POURS!

It never seems to fail that there will be a time when things are going swimmingly for you…and then, as if from nowhere, you get dumped on and it’s one thing after another after another. So, how do YOU handle the inevitable landslide of crap that the world throws at you?

It seems that there are a few standard human responses to the, for lack of a more descriptive term, “Shitslide” that comes everyone’s way eventually. Some people get angry; some get depressed; some simply hunch their shoulders and try to weather it.

Believe it or not…all these responses are perfectly natural and normal responses. Just because someone gets angry when the shit flies, doesn’t mean that they are “wrong” or a bad person responding poorly. We are built to respond with Adrenaline. That’s simply a fact. And what once might have been a superior survival trait, now sometimes causes us problems. It’s a matter of finding that best way to deal with the world. And that ISN’T the same way for everyone.

So, what happens if you follow one of the standard responses to crap?

It’s been shown that these reactions all increase the stress level of the individual and at times impact the actual health of them as well. Sometimes it can even cause one of those massive health problems, like aneurysms, strokes, or heart attacks.

OK…so, the standard responses are out. What does that leave us with then?

Well...you’ve got the “Little Kid Defense” – Count to 10…or maybe 50 depending and think or some place that you’d rather be and something else you’d rather be doing every time something happens.

Or maybe, there is the “Goosfrabaa” method. When you start to feel those old feelings of uncontrollableness coming on, close your eyes and repeat the word “Goosfrabaa” until the urge to choke someone to death goes away. :-)

OK…so, look at these two responses. What do they have in common? They both require you to focus on something other than what’s going on in the moment. They focus you on steady breathing, which will keep your heart rate down, and they give you a focal point outside you and the moment. Does that tell you anything about better ways to respond? It should.

The problem that we all seem to have is that when something happens in our life that we aren’t ready for, or that hurts, or is damaging to something, or whatever, we enter into that “fight-or-flight” mode where we are ready and itching for a fight or bolting away. Our bodies and minds get keyed up with all the right “Action” chemicals and when we don’t or can’t utilize them, our bodies suffer. The longer we stay in that state, the more damage we are doing to ourselves.

The BEST way that I’ve found to NOT respond in that way…is to have your core strong enough and your faith in yourself large enough that whatever comes in this life, you KNOW that you’ll be able to handle and come through. When you are that steady then there’s very little that you WON’T be able to handle and get through. Sure, you’ll take some bumps and bruises, maybe even some big thrashings, but that’s not going to topple you. You may get knocked down, but it’s not going to stop you from getting back up and smiling again.

I know that I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, probably until the day I die, it’s a matter of the heart. Build your personal courage, KNOW yourself and more importantly, believe in yourself, stand strong in what you believe, and live your life from your heart in line with your core.

And ALWAYS remember…my hand is always there to help you up. No shame in taking it. :-)