Weathering the Storm

Happy August!

I have been thinking of summers past. A thought came to me about a time, when I was most likely thirteen, and I was going for a walk with a few friends. During that walk it suddenly became dark and the sky opened. We were drenched, but like most rain showers in Ontario, it didn’t last long. They can be intense, but seem to end just as quickly as they arrive. After the intense downpour, I remember it became sunny and by the time I got home, I was totally dry!

This, I believe, is a good analogy for the troubled times that all of us experience at times in our lives.

Darkness, sad times, bad times or troubled times whatever you want to call it. When it does arrive it feels like a dark cloud with rain and storms all around. We ask ourselves most times when will it end. We also tend to add to the situation by focusing only on it. Not thinking of ways to solve or count blessings, just constantly bringing the sadness to mind. We can even become obsessive of our dark times.

When we obsess, we make the already heavy situation even heavier. We might see things that really aren’t happening or might think matters are becoming darker or heavier just because we simply can’t think of anything else. Think of the cartoons that have depicted a dark cloud following someone around and the character is slumped over, sad and moody. This can happen to us when we embrace rather than analyze, work through and try to master our situations.

Well, there is always the next day and every next day the sun comes out. It may be hidden behind clouds at times, but we all know that it is there. Sometimes it is up to us to help the dissipate the clouds to bring out the sun.

So it is in how we handle our situations. If you are in a tight financial situation, get a part-time second job and make yourself put that money toward the debt you need to pay down. Use that money solely for that purpose. You can do it if you try.

Can’t find a job? Well apply, apply and don’t give up! Things do take time. Maybe you need to change directions. Maybe new career, go back to school if you can or recognize skills that you do not want to accept and apply for another type of job.

If you can’t get over someone, ask yourself why? Write down what you feel. You most likely need to heal. Seek help through a psychologist, a close friend, or group therapy or go out and try something new, like an interesting new course.

These are just minor suggestions. I hope you all expand yourselves and shake that cloud away!