Hard Times, Simple Solutions

Life has its share of hard times. Some of the toughest among them are financial woes, unemployment, relationship difficulties, being a caregiver, loss of a loved one, and serious illness. All of these challenges can certainly take a toll on our health. Let’s look at a few simple ways to bolster ourselves up.

Nothing is So Permanent As Change
Have you noticed in life that nothing ever stays the same? How many times have you been faced with maximum stressors that are now only memories? Even what were major traumas at the time eventually fade as one grows and moves on. Keeping a perspective that there will be an eventual lifting of the siege, dig in, hold on tight, and finish the ride.

Counting Blessings
In spite of all that is going on, you have reasons to be thankful. Start counting them, and you’ll see that these, too, are big. They’ll give you a shift in perspective from all negative to hopeful to positive.

Give Yourself A Breather
When someone tells you to go take a hike, take one. A walk on the beach,
a hike in the woods, a ride on your bike can all clear the head. Deep breathing and taking in the awesome splendor of nature always improves the outlook. If circumstances permit, ask a friend to stand in for you on your duties while you take the time off. Removing ourselves temporarily may give us some fresh, new ideas and renewed determination.

Prepare in Better Times
That old adage, “Save for a rainy day,” makes a lot of sense. Learn to prioritize, organize, and simplify. Instead of getting more and more stuff, scale down to necessities. Don’t let your stuff rule you. Ask yourself: “Do I need to own this item? Have I used it frequently within the last year? Will this item help me to achieve my life’s goals? Can I make do or substitute another item I own for the function of this item?” (I have kitchen gadgets for everything. There came a point when I asked myself , “What would MacGuyver use?”)

Eat Healthier
I’ve heard people say many times that buying “organic food is more
expensive, so, I can’t afford it.” There’s a financial pay-off both short and long-term by eating organic. Anyone into natural health or a lifestyle heavy-ended on meals with fresh, raw and organic fruits and vegetables, has experienced the energy and stamina they supply. Long-term benefits from their phytochemicals are stronger immunity, less illness, and less out of pocket medical bills. The other obvious benefits are not ingesting toxic chemicals-- pesticides, preservatives, dyes, genetically-modified organisms, growth hormones and antibiotics. Also, more fiber and higher-quality nutrients mean more satiety. Filling up on empty calories never satisfies.

What is another way to stretch our dollars making organic, nutritionally-dense foods? Use lesser portions of free-range, organic meats to flavor food and add more veggie varieties. You can feed a family of four with 1/4 - 1/2 lb. of healthy meat, poultry or fish very nicely. Also, delicious meals can be made quickly from scratch. I’ll share specifics on these in future articles.

Positive People
Seek out and spend time with positive, like-minded people. They’ll up-build you and give you the encouragement you need to keep going.

Meditation and Prayer
I remember the generation before me saying “There are no atheists in foxholes.” This was a graphic way of stating how being under fire brings out the desire within to connect on a higher level, feeding our spiritual need. This, too, is centering.

We can’t always get out of the pressure cooker, but we sure can handle it with tried and true, character-building, simple solutions.

“Wounds and hardships provoke our courage, and when
our fortunes are at the lowest, our wits and minds are
commonly at the best.”
-Pierre Charron