Healthy Coping Using Intentional Choices

We all need to cope.  Our jobs, families, and life in general make each day unique.  We all get close to the edge of losing our tempers, our sanity, perhaps.  Do you have an emergency plan in place for those occasions?  It's good to be prepared.  

I read the same books more than once if they have a happy ending.  Why not?  If I can find a healthy way to get to and stay in my positive mental groove, is it bad that the ending is predictable?  Nope.  Have you ever watched a movie twice, three times, have you become a cult follower of a movie?    (The Big Chill:  if they can have that much fun doing dishes, it's worth its weight in gold!)  Finding a way to get back to or stay in your happiness zone is an easy, positive way to cope.

What's your "go to" movie genre?  If it's action, that can be an easy way to get excitement in your life without needing to have chaos in your home.  Constant chaos can be exciting but exhausting if it's part of your home life.  It all depends on understanding what you need in your life to be happy.  Some need more chaos than others, some need consistent downtime.  

As we learn to make healthy mental choices, having an awareness of what your personal needs are is key.  And finding healthy ways to meet those needs is golden.  Would you take a moment, sometime in the near future, to understand what makes up your need base of what kind of life you desire?  

What percentage of your time needs to be spent in solitude, what percentage with friends, what percentage in extreme excitement, etc?  You could be an introvert, who needs a lot of alone time, or an extrovert, who needs to be in the middle of a crowd, enjoying conversation and company.  If you spend too much time in situations that don't nurture you, it leads to aggravation.  

Do you know who you are, who you want to become?  Having an awareness of who you are and what you need mentally to be happy is really important.  Then, knowing healthy ways to meet those needs is the next step to happiness.  So many people spend their time in situations that don't meet their mental needs. 

Balancing your job requirements with your home life should be part of your plan.  It's all part of the bigger picture of understanding yourself and your needs; making intentional choices to meet your needs.

Some people associate coping skills with a crisis, but it's just another addition to our tool boxes of living our best lives.  With practice, you will begin to sense overwhelm, anxiety, or anger coming on and can make a good choice to get back into your comfort zone.  Life is good, and it's better when you have a plan already in place before a crisis or a really bad day happens.

Have a wonderful day!

Xo

Conni

Today's Mantra:  I will be aware of simple pleasures that make me happy and reduce my stress.

Mantra for Every Day: I choose to send love to all; receiving love back multiplied in infinite proportions, creating and nurturing pathways of love.