Boston Strong

What a week.  The world has seemed a bit upside down since the news at the Boston Marathon on Monday followed by the massive fire in West, Texas.  As someone who shares stress busting strategies, I would be remiss if I didn’t try to put out some words to help people who are overcome by the stress of these events as well as those who feel they could just use a boost.  

I recognize that there are some who use these events as platforms for their political issues, a chance to make their points about how America or the world in general is going to hell in a hand basket.  This is not for them unless they are open enough to consider alternate opinions about the world and people in general.

So here goes:

• Watch out for all or nothing statements especially in tough times.  All of the world is not going down the tubes right now.  There’s 7 billion of us and most of us are pretty nice.  It’s not true that nothing will ever change.  These acts are perpetrated by one or two people to date.  And almost anyone can change if they want to.
  
• Stay away from the 24/7 news and constant FB and Twitter updates if it’s becoming too much for you.  I did this 10 years after 9/11 watching all the shows about the heroism to honor those I didn’t know about during that tragic time.  It almost took me down.  Step away.  And make sure your kids do too.
  
• Focus on the good that’s happening during these events.
  
• People who walked toward those injured
  
• First responders who do this kind of work and risk their own lives in the process
  
• The medical staff who saved lives that day and continues to do extraordinary work helping those who need it
  
• The swiftness with which the perpetrators have been identified and as of this writing, the second one is about to be captured.  As difficult as this all is, if the search had lasted for weeks or month, the uncertainty would have been crippling
  
• The technology we have that’s allowed us to stay informed especially social media and the technology that allowed them to be caught.
  
• The responsible media members who keep saying that we’re on 5 second delay to prevent sending out disturbing video, the reminder that we must be careful not to jump to conclusions, that are sharing info during rapidly evolving circumstances.  I can’t imagine how they can even make sense in the long hours and constant influx of new information
  
• How extra-ordinary the Boston police, the state police, the FBI, the Governor and the Mayor have been to the media who are doing their job and the citizens of greater Boston
  
• How cooperative the citizens of greater Boston have been
  
• Watch your thoughts during times like this.  Most stress is brought on by a specific thought you have.  When you catch yourself having a negative thought, try to shift it to something you’re grateful for.  Brain research tells us that you can’t think the two at the same time.
  
• Do something physical if the stress starts to build up.  Breathe deeply at least 3 times every 90 minutes.  Research shows like it helps de-stress the brain.  Get up and stretch and move.  Muscles get tight when you’re stressed.
  
• Seek out friends/ family if they can help you process everything.
  
• Keep busy doing something you love.
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• Get help from professionals if you’re really stressed.  You’re worth it.

We’ll get through this.  We’re resilient we humans.  Let me close with a quote attributed to Ghandi that I saw on Facebook yesterday. “You must not lose faith in humanity.  Humanity is the ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”  We are the ocean, the beautiful ocean.