Tag Archive for mindfulness

Time For New Beginnings and Final Endings

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Time For New Beginnings and Final Endings

There has to be endings to create new beginnings. An old year ends and a New Year begins, full of promises of change and new experiences.

It’s a good time for GenuLines to look at the endings in your life. For example , the death of a loved one, will leave you sad.

But if you accept the loss and focus on the good memories the person brought you can move on.

sprout shows new beginnings

Each step in your life

These are necessary for you to continue growing. The end of high school or college signifies the beginning of adulthood.

This might give way to a career that you’ve studied for.

Every New Year is an opportunity for you to sit down and figure out what you want to change in the coming year. What will make you a better and happier person.?

Do you want to lose weight, quit smoking, move on to another job? Now is the time to rethink and reset your goals and make the necessary changes in your life.

Endings can only come when you let go of thinking about the negative events. When bad things go beyond your control you’ve got to distance yourself.

Make space for the positive 

Get a grip on the reality of endings. You don’t like all endings, but you do need to accept their reality.

If you don’t learn to accept endings to allow for new beginnings, you might give up. That could open the door to a lifetime of regrets.

Think about things in a new way. You may think of yourself as “set in your ways,” about certain things.

But you have the right to change your mind if something changes, like more facts about what happened. Sometimes it helps to gain a fresh perspective on life and let go of old beliefs.

Remember, if you don’t take chances, change isn’t possible. You can hold on to the good things in your life, but if a new idea triggers excitement and fulfillment in your life, try it.

If you don’t, you may regret it.

JohnK 12-30-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick figure hears about new beginningsOverhead: “You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down”

                                                                    ~Mary Pickford

 

Article photo by Kindel Media: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-shot-of-a-person-holding-a-plant-in-a-glass-6774951/

 

disclaimer for beginnings

How to Deal With People Who Drive You Crazy

banner encourages dealing with people

 

How to Deal With People Who Drive You Crazy 

There’s one in every office, every family and every group you’ve ever been a part of. A person who drives you up the wall and makes your blood boil.

They seem to have a cheat sheet on what pushes your buttons. And GenuLines knows they can get under your skin.

So how do we deal with these people who frustrate us and make us impatient? Try these  tips during your next work meeting, family reunion or carpool.

man upset with people

We all have different priorities

What you think is a must-do isn’t always everyone else’s. This thinking has been the cause of many spousal disagreements and work resignations.

Keep this in mind when it seems someone isn’t taking action that you think is important. They might not be trying to drive you nuts; they might only have a different priority than yours.

Put yourself in their shoes

Sometimes, all you need to throttle down your impatience is empathy. Someone could be dealing with major life events or be under a great deal of stress.

And they aren’t thinking about the fact that they might be driving you nuts. Put yourself in their situation and see if you can offer them a little empathy.

Ask yourself why they bother you so much

Could it be that they mirror a fault of your own that drives you to distraction? Are they always late and that habit holds everything up?

Look at your own habits

How often are you late? How often do you keep people waiting or expect them to wait for you?

You might actually be responding more to something you see as a character flaw in yourself, but can’t admit to.

Remember that everyone has a different natural rhythm

We don’t all march to the same drummer, and we don’t all have the same internal pace. Some people are more easy going and have a slower rhythm, even when they’re in a hurry.

This can be frustrating. But keeping in mind that we all have a different pace can ratchet down your anger.

People move at the rate that feels right to them.

Focus on their best qualities

It’s easy to focus on the little things that irritate us, but when we do, that’s all we are able to notice. Rather than get impatient with someone, think about what you like or respect about them.

This helps put those little irritations in perspective.

JohnK 12-16-2024
chiforyourself.com

 

stick man hears about peopleOverheard: “I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him”

~Booker T. Washington
 

 

Article image by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/upset-male-with-headache-taking-break-after-intensive-work-3974785/

 

 

disclaimer for dealing with people

Is Your Money Mindset Setting You Up For Failure?

banner encourages money mindsdet

Is Your Money Mindset Setting You Up For Failure?

Dreaming of getting rich? You can’t help but admire the extravagant lives of celebrities and influencers, right?

It’s easy to fantasize about living like them. But as you chase after riches, are you losing sight of the things that matter?

Today, GenuLines invites you to explore this crucial question.

Man showing money mindset

It’s often said that if you do something you love, the money will follow. This worked for me and it provided me with a good life (story for another time)

And after all, common sense says that you’ll approach something you love with passion.

But what if?

What if making money is your driving force? You’ll chase the dollar from one job to the next or from one opportunity to the next.

You’ll get seduced by false offers of riches. Over time, you’ll look back and see that you didn’t actually get real fulfillment.

The quick buck

You may be successful in the short term. You get that extra dollar from a new job.

Or you squeeze a quick buck from your business. But, you’ll be searching for more and more money.

You could even put yourself into a position where you can’t handle the new job due to lack of experience.

In other words, you didn’t give your previous level enough time to develop a foundation. You jumped ahead, and now you’re unclear what to do.

It’s a concept known as the Peter Principle, named after the person who came up with the idea, Peter Drucker.

Money isn’t as important as many try to make it out to be. For instance, what good is having a high-paying job when you have to work 80-90 hours a week?

Regrets?

Many people who do this look back at their lives and wonder why they did it. While they may have a lot of money when they get older, they likely don’t have fulfillment.

Another possibility is the heavy workload needed to get that wealth also gets them to an early grave. The money they earned is useless to them.

If you’re happy with what you’re doing, money becomes a less urgent priority. You do need money to live, and you shouldn’t settle for work that pays less than you’re worth.

So reach a balance between your paycheck and doing something that you enjoy. It can bring a whole bunch of fulfillment into your life.

JohnK 12-2-2024
chiforyourself.com

Stick figure hears about money mindsetOverheard: “Wealth is largely the result of habit”

~John Jacob Astor
 

 

Image photo by Photo By: Kaboompics.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-in-gray-long-sleeve-shirt-5717843/

 

disclaimer for money mindset

 

7 Ways to Use Mindfulness to Attack Worry

Dealing with worry can lead you to all types of coping strategies, including substances. This can spiral out of hand in a big hurry. 
 
There’s another way of dealing, and GenuLines has a list of pointers for your consideration 

7 Ways To Use Mindfulness To Attack Worry

You freeze when it happens. You don’t know what to do or how to move forward.
 
Your thoughts circle like vultures, waiting for your inevitable demise.
 
picture suggests mindfulness
 
It’s only a matter of time. Worry has a way of derailing everything in your day.
Using mindfulness, though, is a quick, easy way to get things back on track.

Stay in the Moment

Take a step back to examine the worrying thought. Start with the acceptance of the thought itself.
 
This is the heart of mindfulness.
 
Trying to ignore the worry only makes it worse. By giving the thought your attention, and then placing a label on it, you take power away from it.
 
For example, let’s say you have money worries. You might start by telling yourself, “Yes, I am worried about paying the bills this month.”

Find the Emotions

Once you’ve labeled your worries, identify the emotion accompanying it. Once you’ve got this, be honest with yourself.
 
What do these emotions make you feel like doing?

Kill the Worry with Normalcy

Instead of avoiding the worry, pay mindful attention to it. Remind yourself that this worry is normal.
 
Do this every time it comes up. In time it’ll seem less threatening.

Look for Patterns

Do these worries creep up at certain times? Using mindfulness means you’re paying attention to your thoughts in the moment.
 
Understanding what sets you off is a great way to keep the worrying thought from happening at all. You’ll find yourself catching those damaging thoughts much faster.
 
And you’ll be able to shut them down that much faster.

Redirect

With mindfulness, you’re very much aware of the worries the moment they begin. You’re capable of taking control of them.
 
And you can switch them something else immediately, putting your attention there instead.

Allow the Emotion to Play Out

Worry comes with a slew of negative emotions. Mindfulness means you’re aware of what you’re feeling right now.
 
If you find yourself falling into the fears and anxiety coupled with worry, let them play out. Imagine watching them from a distance, rather than suppressing them.
 
This will let them dissipate in a natural way rather than escalate.

Flip it Around

Worried about trying something new? Rather than avoid it, try it anyway.
 
Handle the worries you know are irrational with action. More often than not, you’ll find you had nothing to worry about in the first place.
 
But keep this in mind. Sometimes worry is there for a good reason. Be careful which worries you challenge.
 
Remember, the whole point of mindfulness. You want to be in the moment and pay very close attention to what’s going on both inside and out.
 
Worry doesn’t bear up under such close scrutiny. If all you do is pay attention you’ll change the game in a big way. .
 
JohnK 2-13-2023
 
stick man hears about worryOverheard: “You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.”
                         ~ Olin Miller
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for worry
 

Stop Letting Fear Control Your Life

Fear is something that, at times, can help you in life. But when it takes control of your life it’s a whole different story. 

Never fear, GenuLines is here to get you back in the driver’s seat. 

 

Stop Letting Fear Control Your Life

The number one thing that holds many of us from going after our dreams is fear. If left unchecked, it can keep you locked up inside your own mental prison.
 
picture of fear ride
 
The trouble is, confronting your fears isn’t easy. And changing it is going to be uncomfortable.
 
While they may keep you comfortable, they can also cause frustration and depression. If you’re honest about wanting to live your best life, you need to stop letting fear rule it.
 
Here, we’ll look at how you can stop letting it control your life.
 
 
 
 
Explore the cause of your fear
If you want to stand any chance of getting over your fear, you’re going to need to know its cause. Write down all your fears.
 
Then, circle the fears that are most palpable. Once you’ve identified your main fears, start to think of ways you can prevent them from happening.
 
This can help you to feel like you have more control over them.
 
You won’t always be able to prevent your fears from coming true. But most of them are nothing more than a defense mechanism.
 
By facing our fears, we often find that they weren’t as bad as we thought they’d be. Once you have an idea of what’s causing them, you can then look at ways to combat them.
 
Practice mindfulness
Fear tends to generate a lot of anxiety. By practicing mindfulness, it can help to bring a sense of calm into the mind.
 
Lowering your anxiety levels will in turn give your fear less control over you. When you’re in a calmer state, you’re going to feel a lot stronger and better able to face your fear.
 
Meditation and deep breathing exercises are great for calming anxiety. They also deliver a lot of other great benefits for the mind and body.
 
Start with short, guided meditations if you’re a beginner. They’re free on sites such as YouTube.
 
Focus on the consequences if you don’t change
If you’re struggling to face your fears, focus on what will happen if you don’t make the needed changes. That is, how will your life be a year from now if you don’t change anything now?
 
Most likely, you’ll still be stuck feeling dissatisfied with your life. You’ll be unable to move forward.
 
The reason you’re reading this is that you’re already feeling fed up and wanting to make a change. So, if you don’t start facing your fear, you’ll only start to feel more frustrated, resentful, and lost.
 
Summary
Focusing on what will happen if you don’t face your fear can provide you with the motivation you need to do it.
 
These are the best ways you can stop letting fear control your life. Only by recognizing and facing up to this can you get past it.
 
Fear is also linked to how you feel about yourself. So work on your self-improvement and boost your confidence.
 
You’ll be in a much better position to face your fears.
 
JohnK 11-1-2021
 
 
stick man hears about fearOverheard: “Courage is knowing what not to fear.”
                          ~Plato
 
 
 
 
Fear disclaimer
 

4 Ways To Get Out Of Your Introvert Rut

You’re okay with being an introvert, until you’re not. It can put into a rut that leaves you feeling sort of stale. 

This list of suggestions from GenuLines is designed to ease you out of that rut.

4 Ways To Get Out Of Your Introvert Rut
Have you been feeling like you’re stuck in an introvert rut lately? Do you find yourself spending too much time on your own?
 
Could it be you do the same things over and over, or feel like you’re holding yourself back? There are a few things you can do if you’re stuck in an introvert rut.
 
Let’s get busy and figure them out!
 
introvert boy1) Step out but within your comfort zone
One of the best ways to get out of a rut is by pushing yourself to try new things. Now this can be a bit much for the VERY introverted.
 
 
 
 
 
Branch out and try new things in new places. You could hang out with a larger group of people, but do so within the confines of your comfort zone.
 
Go to your favorite coffee shop and order your favorite drink at their busiest time of day. Go to a party you wouldn’t normally attend, but hang in the corner with a close friend.
 
The key to this exercise is finding a balance; you want to push yourself, but not too far.
 
introvert girl2) Meet new people on your terms
Along the same lines, you want to meet new people within your comfort zone too. Spark up a conversation with a friendly person at your favorite store, restaurant, or bar.
 
 
 
 
This will help you meet someone that’s most likely like-minded. And you’ll do it without pushing yourself to the point of discomfort.
 
Push yourself to go somewhere where you might meet a new friend with whom you have common interests. This could make it easier for you to mix things up.
 
And you can get out of your rut without pushing yourself to the point of discomfort.
 
introvert boy3) Push yourself to take part in something new
Doing something entirely new to you can be a good way to break yourself out of your rut. But for a lot of introverts, this is highly uncomfortable.
 
 
 
 
It could even be anxiety-inducing. You have to push yourself to do something new that you’re comfortable with.
 
Are you more comfortable going out to a game night at a brewery or a book club that let you be in a smaller group? Then push yourself to do that.
 
If you’re more comfortable going to a larger party where you can hide in the crowd if you need to. then that needs to be the something new you try.
 
introvert girl4) Drive yourself to bust out of your shell
A great way to break out of an introverted rut is by pushing yourself to get out of your shell. This is another exercise that might prove to be very uncomfortable for introverts.
 
 
 
So it may not be for everyone.
 
Try branching out to new small groups where the attention has to be on you at some point. It could be a book club, creative writing group, local bridge game, or a small jam session among other things.
 
This will help you break out of your shell and push past this introversion and the rut you’re in.
 
Final thoughts
Getting out of an introvert rut can be tough. And the more introverted you are, the harder it becomes.
 
If you find the process too difficult, talk it over with a professional. You’ll get steered to more specific and custom exercises.
 
These will better help you get out of this rut without hurting yourself in any way.
 
JohnK 5-3-2021
 
stick figure man hears about introveertOverheard: “I was never less alone than when by myself”
                          ~Edward Gibbon
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for introverts

Is Staying In Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?

Your comfort zone has a way of betraying you. I mean, it’s supposed to be a comfortable place, right?

Let GenuLines show you how it might be working against you. 

(Listen to this article by clicking here)

Is Staying In Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?

We’ve heard a lot about getting out of our comfort zone. But have you ever thought about why you should?
 
After all, it’s a place where we feel safe and in control. 
 
It’s where we can predict what will happen and how we will feel. There won’t be any surprises that we can’t deal with.
 
So why would you feel compelled or even want to get out of your comfort zone? You need to do it because that would be key to your personal growth and happiness.
 

 

 

 

 

The benefits

Stepping out of that zone helps you build up your self-confidence and the way you view yourself.
 
Is being there holding you back from living a fulfilled life and growing in your career? The answer is yes.
 
It can also keep you from realizing and achieving your desires. You avoid challenges and you don’t have to rise to any new levels.
 
Here are 3 ways this is holding you back.
 

1. It’s keeping you from personal growth

When you’re afraid of something, staying in your comfort zone keeps you from facing that fear.
 
Then you suffer from it forever or until you do face it. You sidestep situations that would force you to face the fear as a way of overcoming it.
 
For example, say you have a fear of public speaking. It could keep you from taking a job that requires you to speak in front of others.
 
You hesitate even though it’s a step up on your career ladder.
 

2. Your happiness suffers

You might be prone to struggle with self-confidence and self-esteem issues. These problems can grow unless you begin to address them.
 
Stepping outside your comfort zone helps you build self-confidence. You see yourself in a better light.
 
When you’re confident and have good self-esteem, you’re happier. For example, if you’re not confident in your abilities, you may fear trying something new.
 
This drags down your confidence. You feel less competent and it’s making you unhappy.
 

3. Your comfort zone can make you feel trapped and unhealthy

Often our comfort zone keeps us doing bad habits out of fear. You might want to be more active, run a marathon, feel fewer aches and pains and go on adventures.
 
But to do any of these things means doing something that is outside your comfort zone.
 
For example, you want to run a short marathon. It’s always been a dream of yours, but you procrastinate and make excuses why you can’t.
 
You’re too out of shape. You don’t have time. You’re too old.
 
But the real reason is that you’re afraid to get out of your comfort zone and begin working with a trainer. As a result, you continue to eat unhealthily and you gain weight.
 
You lose muscle tone and put your dream on the back burner. At some point, your health takes a hit.
 
Staying in your comfort zone holds you back from living a life you love, from being happy, and from growing. You end up letting your fears rule.
 
And that’s a recipe for mediocrity.
 
JohnK 1-25-2021
 
Stick figure hears about comfort zoneOverheard: “Dare to learn, to be different, to set your goals, to move out of your comfort zone, to be persistent.”
                                          ~ Unknown
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for talking about comfort zone
 
 

5 Consequences of Chronic Boredom

 
Medical experts call boredom the ‘disease of our time”. This is especially true during times of pandemic and quarantine.
 
microphone for lifting boredom
 
It can manifest into serious problems so GenuLines looks at some ways that can happen.
 
 

 

5 Consequences of Chronic Boredom

It’s not just for children anymore. Everyone suffers from it.
 
It used to be temporary for the most part. You couldn’t wait for the lecture to be over.
 
Or for your turn to see the doctor. It’s boredom, and it can turn serious.
 
banner to counter boredom
 
Boredom is a chronic disease, and why not? You’re bombarded with an endless array of stimuli every waking moment.
 
We’re used to constant information flow when we awake. We’re expected to take it all in, Television Boredomand we do.
 
We’ve stopped interacting and engaging. So, we get bored.  
 
 
 
 
German psychologist, Theodor Lipps, described boredom as ” a feeling of unpleasant arising out of a conflict between a need for intense mental activity and lack of incitement to it, or inability to be incited.”
 
This can mean different things to different people. An introvert, might find pleasure between the pages of a book or any other type of solitary activity.
 
But an extrovert may want more excitement as well as more social encounters.
 

You Do You

No matter the personality type, there’s a correlation between boredom and self-awareness. Let’s say you have a clear idea of your strengths, weaknesses, motivations and beliefs.
 
And you’re comfortable in your own skin. You’re now better prepared with the tools required to make yourself less bored.
 
You can gauge your moods and feelings, and understand what it is you want out of life. It also better prepares you to deal with others, and respond accordingly.
 
But having a clear understanding of your personality can be a real problem. The world is at our fingertips 24/7.
 
The idea that we can turn off the noise for a few seconds is now a foreign concept.
 
No one wants to sit there and do nothing! Adults fixate on playing games or browsing through their social media.

Downtime can be scary!

 
But it’s in those moments where we really feel our presence, tune in to our thoughts, and get in touch with our feelings. It’s also when we are at our most imaginative and creative.
 
It’s how we evolve, discover and invent.
 
Chronic boredom can make it easy to leave you in a rut of negative habits. You feel powerless to finish tasks.
 
This puts a damper on the quality of your life, and exacerbates physical pain. It comes with a slew of negative ramifications, the 5 most common are:
 

• Obesity

 
Constant snacking minus real hunger could be a case of boredom. This often involves foods high in processed fats and sugars.
 
These make you feel calmer and happier. Dieticians refer to this as emotional eating, which is often brought on by boredom.
 

• Depression

 
Boredom can be a symptom of depression, and it can also trigger it.
Working long hours. Stressful work or home environments. Less than challenging jobs.
 
These can ramp up stress and lead to deep bouts of depression.
 
 

• Stress and anxiety

 
Living day to day in an environment that doesn’t give you what you need can lead to emotional exhaustion. Top that with a helping of work responsibilities and financial strain.
 
This is the perfect recipe for chronic stress triggered by boredom and redundancy.
 

• Alcohol and drug abuse

 
In an attempt to break through the boredom spells, it’s common to find people reaching for alcohol and drugs. Of course these can have an addictive effect.
 
But in the moment, all people see is how they allow them to forget. They’re forgetting the aggravating effects boredom has on their lives.
 

• Heart disease

 
When boredom is the rule, your brain releases toxic hormones into your bloodstream. These hormones create problems for your heart.
 
Moreover, chronic boredom sufferers tend to skip exercise and eating right. In fact, they’re more likely to turn to bad habits, like smoking and drinking.
 
These can take their toll on the cardiovascular system, resulting in premature death.
 
A great way to break the boredom cycle is to step back and look at the big picture. Make lists of all the good in your life. as well as all the things you’ve wanted to try but never found the time and start from there.
 
Take control of your life and try to work your way around the things you cannot change. Form new, healthier habits.
 
Try something different each day. Volunteer your time to helping others who are in need.
 
And, above all, find something that piques your interest.
 
JohnK 5-27-2020
 

Stick figure hears about boredomOverheard: “The two enemies of human happiness are pain and boredom”

                                ~Arthur Schopenhauer
 
 
 
 

 

 

disclaimer for bordom

Your Stress Doesn’t Have to Own You

What do you do when the constant stress of staying tethered to your house all day feels unbearable? Try some suggestions from this GenuLines list to help you “chunk-down” the job of de-stressing.  

microphone counters stress

 

 

 

 

Your Stress Doesn’t Have to Own You

calm man resting in chairStress is unavoidable in life, but we don’t have to feel stressed around the clock. We can often prevent stressful incidents and decrease our negative reactions to them.
 
 
 
As a result, many times all we have to do to reduce our stress is to acknowledge that it’s there. Also, there are steps we can take to do an effective job of stress management.
 
banner to counter stress

Managing time

Time management skills can allow you more time with your family and friends. Furthermore, they can help with performance and productivity.
 
This will help reduce stress.
 
To improve your time management:
 
· Save time by focusing and concentrating, delegating, and scheduling time for yourself. 
 
· Keep a record of how you spend your time, including work, family, and leisure time. 
 
· Prioritize your time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Re-direct your time to activities that are important and meaningful to you. 
 
· Manage your commitments by not over- or under committing. Don’t commit to what isn’t important to you. 
 
· Deal with procrastination by using a day planner. Break large projects into smaller ones.
 
And set short-term deadlines. 
 
· Examine your beliefs to reduce conflict between what you believe and what your life is like. 
 
Build healthy stress coping strategies
It’s important that you identify your coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording stressful events, your reaction, and how you cope in a journal.
 
With this information, you can turn unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones. Those that help you focus on the positive and what you can change or control in your life.
 

Lifestyle

Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect your stress level. These may not be direct causes of stress.
 
But they can interfere with the ways your body seeks relief from stress. Try to:
 
· Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations.
 
· Have a sense of purpose in life. 
 
· Make sure you get enough sleep since your body recovers from the stresses of the day while you are sleeping. 
 
· Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress.
 
· Get moderate exercise throughout the week. 
 
· Limit your consumption of alcohol. 
 
· Don’t smoke. 
 
Social support
Social support is a major factor in how we experience stress. This is the positive support you get from family, friends, and the community.
 
It affirms to you that you’re cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. And research shows social support can support better mental and physical health.
 
Ways of thinking
When something triggers negative thoughts, you may experience a range of problems. These include fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, and guilt.
 
Add to those a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness.
 
Emotions like these trigger the body’s stress, much like an actual threat does. Dealing with your negative thoughts and how you see things can help reduce stress.
 
· Thought-stopping helps you stop a negative thought to help do away with stress. 
 
· Disproving irrational thoughts is good practice. You’ll avoid exaggerating the negative thought and anticipating the worst. And you won’t give it an incorrect interpretation.
 
· Problem solving helps you identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it. 
 
· Maybe it’s time to change your communication style. You want to make sure others won’t feel put down, hostile, or intimidated.
 
This reduces the stress that comes from poor communication. Use the assertiveness ladder to improve your communication style.  

And Finally…

Anybody can get stressed. You don’t have to have a high powered job or any job at all.
 
Let’s face it unemployment is stressful in itself.
 
Whether you’re a mail carrier, the CEO, or a parent, stress is going to affect you from time to time.
 
Above all, how you deal with it is what counts.
 
JohnK 4-29-2020
 
Stick figure hears about stressOverheard: “Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.”
                                                         ~Hans Selye
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for stress
 

You Can Find Joy In Challenging Times

“There’s no joy in Mudville” is a line from the poem “Casey At The Bat.” Today there doesn’t seem to be joy anwhere in the world.

But GenuLines reminds you can build a foundation of joy, even in an age of social isolation. 

(listen to this article by clicking on the radio image or scroll down to read)

Radio sounding joy

 

 

 

 

banner to combat joy

____________________

You Can Find Joy In Challenging Times

They are life’s ups and downs. A constant fluctuation of emotional highs and lows.
We spend most of our time in a rather even, mundane state of emotional normalcy.
 
This is broken up by peaks of the best times and unfortunately, valleys when nothing goes right.
 
The lows of everyday life are tough. But in times of crisis such as a worldwide pandemic, they only intensify.
 
Daily news of death, isolation, fear, grief, and loss can strip us of our joy. And, this can lead to depression.
 
Sign tells of joy
 
While you can’t control what happens outside your door, you CAN control yourself. There are things you can do to maintain a positive and even joyful mindset.
 
Let’s look at three of them.

Surround Yourself With The Right People

It’s often said that we are the sum total of the five people we surround ourselves with most often. If so, make sure you get the right people around you.
 
Many times when life is beating us up, we retreat into the solitude of our home. We want to throw the covers over our heads and be alone with our thoughts.
 
Sometimes periods of solitude are healthy and necessary. Right now, isolation is the norm as we experience a health crisis.
 
But when you find your spirits cratering you feel robbed of your joy. So connecting with joyful types is crucial.
 
It’s not hard to stay connected to them during Shelter In Place orders. Technology has seen to that.
 
• Face Time on iPhones and Video calls on Android
• Skype
• A simple phone call
• Email
• Text
• Zoom and other video conferencing software can safely bring together friends and family.
• Good old-fashioned letter writing

Remember That Nothing Is Permanent

The time-honored adage says “THIS TOO SHALL PASS.” It would suggest that nothing in life is permanent.
 
So we tend to see extreme happiness and joy as temporary, and we play them down.
 
Yet keeping this expression in mind during the low times can be very beneficial. Whatever you’re going through, no matter how bad it may be, it WILL pass.
 
And consider this. Most of the difficult times you experience in life will end without any extra effort on your part.
 
It’s so easy to get into a mindset of having to put out a huge amount of effort to make something bad go away.
 
This is possible but most of the time TIME is the only remedy for tough situations. To maximize your joy in hard times, remember that your situation is not the way things are.
 
It’s the way they are RIGHT NOW.
 

Base Your Happiness On Yourself

So far we’ve discussed how life takes us through highs and lows. And that nothing lasts forever.
 
There’s one more thing to keep in mind during the best AND the worst periods.
To have more consistent joy never let your circumstances dictate your attitude.
 
Elation in good times and near despair during the bad can cause emotional exhaustion.
 
Stable, consistent, sustainable joy can only be created and found within yourself.
Life is far less about what happens to you than it is how you react to it.
 
You are in charge of how you feel. Don’t fall into the routine of letting happiness get to your head and failure to your heart.
 
JohnK 4-15-2020
 
Stick figure hears about joyOverheard: “Joy is untouched by circumstance”
                                  ~Anonymous
 
 
 
 
Article image by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for joy