5 things you can do to build resilience during sad world events and tragedies

My black red frangipani....beautiful isn't it?

I'm ignoring the media today. My brain and heart and soul will not withstand any more sadness over events that are out of my control. I'm reverting to my position, that all we can do is look after our own loved ones and those who live around us as best as we possibly can, love them heartily and guard them with prayers.

I'm sending healing thoughts and prayers to all that need them today. I know I need them myself after the tragic events in Martin Place yesterday, and other even more tragic ones in Pakistan, reported this morning. I cannot change what has happened, but I can pay my respects to those who have lost their lives, and those who have lost loved ones, by being the best that I can be to show how much I honour this life, and the privilege I am granted in being allowed more time to love it.

Here's how...

1. Good health...this is an area that we cannot afford to take for granted.

We need to look at it this way....

Imagine your health is the numeral 1, like this...

1

...and every other thing in your life can be represented by a zero...

00000000

Work, family, faith, home, garden, hobbies, emotional wellbeing, mental health, and so on....all zeros.

Each zero you add to that numeral 1, increases your appreciation of your life, and enhances your life experience.

1,000,000,000

Take away that 1, your health, and you are just left with zeros.

Please, everyone, put YOU first. It's not wrong. It's not selfish. It's sanity. Only with good health can we deal with whatever life is going to throw at us next. With poor health, our ability to deal with everything else, including devastating events on the world stage and events closer to home and in our own back yards, is compromised.

Poor health leads to expenses that we cannot predict. Poor health puts strain on our family and our relationships. Maintaining a health lifestyle, watching our diet, and doing whatever we can to prolong our good health makes good financial and emotional sense.

2. This means mental health too. And as sad as events of the last several days, weeks and months makes me, I cannot change them. I cannot erase them. I could not have prevented them. At these times, my world MUST be minimised to the immediate needs of my family and friends. Only then can we support one another, vent our fears and grief, hug each other and move on.

3. Stay mentally active and engaged. Today, I am embellishing little quilts for my granddaughters. I'm trying to make them really special and whilst I do not have my friend Annabels beautiful embroidery skills seen here, which are some of the best I've ever seen, I do have an artistic eye, and they're looking very pretty.

4. Perform Random Acts of  Kindness. I've gifted lots of potted ivy grown from cuttings earlier in the year, but my hydrangea cuttings taken at the same time, did not survive. A lesson to be learned there, but I'm not sure what it is! I do have a magnificent black red frangipani though, so three special neighbours will get a branch of that in a pot.

5. Appreciate the beauty in the small things in your life. Speaking of frangipani, the frangipani here in my city are magnificent this year. And it's the first time in my life I've noticed the many colours in which they come. From white, to yellow to soft peach, to deep apricot and four or five different shades of pink. Ours are the only red black ones I've seen anywhere, so I'm hoping the cuttings will be appreciated. They look magnificent in the front yard and driving up to the house, I imagine that these are my replacement for my longed for deep red Mr Lincoln roses.

Photo credit to Learn2Grow with thanks.

http://www.learn2grow.com/gardeningguides/roses/featuredplants/MisterLincoln.aspx

 

So today, although my heart is heavy, as I'm sure is yours, I will move forward, love those who love me, value my fortunate life, and trust in our Guardian Angel and our own human resilience to face life with unbridled joy and thanks.

 

...Mimi...