#PositiveVibes - Coping Mechanisms

By John R. Nocero

The VIBE: Develop strong and healthy coping mechanisms and use them to hit back when life hits you.

There comes a time in everyone’s life when the bad stuff hits. Maybe someone very close to you passes away; you lose your job, your girlfriend or your money, or something equally as hurtful. It can happen to any of us at any time. Yesterday, my dog got deathly sick and I spent part of the afternoon thinking that I may lose him. That made me horrifically sad.

 With that sad, some handle the pain gracefully, knowing that good times are right around the corner and they let happiness flow back through them, seeking solace in things like exercise, good friends or qualified therapy or medication. I had a tough time with it, but I didn't do anything destructive. Others may pick destructive behavior as an escape and while making you feel better, at least briefly, it never really does the trick, the pain is still there, masked by whatever foreign substances that cover it. When the substances are gone, it returns and you are no better than when you started.

The key is finding a healthy therapy. Maybe you like weight-lifting or going for walks. At this stage of my life, I prefer things that engage my brain – yoga, calisthenics, podcasts, or Strat-O-Matic Baseball. They help me deal with the pain logically and calmly – letting it flow and then letting it go. It all helps me both physically and mentally.

 Find those things that help you cope and use them to tackle anything life throws at you.

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