By Shirley M. Carolan, ATMG
Many titles came to mind as I wrote this article. Since I wanted to reach as many folks as possible who might be going through a difficult patch in their lives, especially those feeling like a victim, I chose not to use a fancy title.
Regardless of what you are going through do NOT consider yourself a victim of your circumstances! Neither are you alone in facing problems because that’s part of being human, even when everything hits the fan simultaneously. .Just know that you can’t solve all problems immediately! Instead work on one problem at a time. I know, that’s easier said than done as I experienced on a recent Thursday.
First, I was quite distraught because my little dog “Teddy” was acting strange. He was not eating, drinking his water, urinating, or barking as usual , etc, Then when he wouldn’t get off the bed at 6:00 am to go for our regular morning walk, I knew something was seriously wrong. After much agonizing I knew I had to get Teddy to a vet. I would need to cancel my chiropractic appointment that morning. As I walked to my office/den to do so I discovered my phone-answering machine was dead and I couldn’t phone or receive messages from there. I rushed to the kitchen to use the wall phone, whereupon AT&T informed me they couldn’t get a repair man here until next Tuesday!
Then, I went outside to check my outdoor mailbox. There was an invoice from Bank of America with $7,500.00 charged to my account. I was stunned since I had not authorized any such charges by a San Diego medical facility.
Finally I arrived at the vet’s office. Two hours later I was informed that Teddy had a 103o temperature and would need x-rays and blood work done. I was a basket case. Later, he was diagnosed as being dehydrated and needed special injections and food. Naturally, the vet’s bill didn’t come cheaply. In fact, I staggered under the weight of it.. But, at least I knew he would live and eventually get back to his old self. It was about 5:30 PM as I walked to my car. I started it but it too was as dead as a door nail. AAA was called in to help. It took another hour for them to arrive and the commute traffic was at its peak. I finally got home a little before 7:00 pm totally exhausted and I knew I could not make it to my Toastmaster Club meeting that night. Somehow things spiraled out of control that day for me.
I want to share some vital things that helped me through a very stressful day:
Firstly, I had to stop myself from storming around the house, gritting my teeth, shouting at Teddy, in a huff, and totally losing it. Yes, I was totally playing the victim role and giving my power and life force away!
Next, as I prayed to God to help me in my hour of need, I gradually sensed a small feeling of peace. I began to realize I couldn’t wave a magic wand and solve everything immediately. But, as the peace grew I knew I could handle anything! I started to smile at my former ridiculous/negative beliefs and behavior. .I began to repeat out loud: “I can handle this” several times..
Then I worked on one problem at a time and each small success did wonders for my self esteem… Again, I repeated “I can handle this” As each problem began to get solved I felt a sense of relief and, I thanked God for his divine help and guidance . I could not have done it without him. I was finally able to know and feel that I could handle anything thrown at me without going to pieces!
Furthermore, I began to see a bonus in placing my trust in God’s hands. I got to see what the lesson was from each experience that I needed to learn. Once I gained a handle on my peace of mind I reached for my Journal and started writing what the problems were, how I reacted to them, and how I solved them. This has helped me to write this article and share with you not to be a victim of your circumstances! Let’s face it you can’t put a price tag on “peace of mind.”.
In case you doubt this would work for you and pooh-pooh everything, I suggest you look at the alternatives if you stay a victim of your circumstances. You wreck your mental, physical and emotional health!
You become a prime candidate for:
1. Falls
2. Accidents
3. Lost relationships
4. Loss of love from your pet (he/she is probably scared by your erratic behavior).
5. Loss of energy, drive and happiness - leading to depression
6. A victim of your circumstances - you’ve given your power away
7. An erroneous belief that you can’t handle whatever Life throws at you.
Best wishes on solving life’s problems, especially when everything hits the fan simultaneously!
Shirley M. Carolan, ATMG
Writer ● Speaker ● Artist
artistwithaflair@att.net
Phone: 760-732-0663
Copyright© 2014 by Shirley M. Carolan. All rights reserved. To reprint any part of this article simply contact Shirley Carolan at artistwithaflair@att.net. Thank you.
