BREATHE

Admittedly, for the last few years I've "gotten through" Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years..."The Holidays."  I have tried to focus on Jesus; I've concentrated on my blessings and hope and love and family, but a shadow has followed me, an emptiness. I've been missing my Dad. Since his death from cancer several years ago, getting together with my family -- especially during this season -- has been bittersweet.   It gets a bit less painful each year. It's easier to recognize my Dad's touch on my life as a blessing rather than his absence as a gaping hole. I can reminisce about the days he and I would kayak together, packing a lunch for along the way. I can now think (without crying) about when he would wake me up at 5:00 am to run with him, a habit that I continued for a long time even when I lived too far away from Dad for us to run together. I can recall with a smile the times we would sit and talk together and when he would just be there ...

Well, I'm cheating....I have a short anger-blaster book that people have asked me to share.  It's too lengthy to blather the whole mess right here, so I'll stick some of it out here and if you like it and want more, just follow the link.  Sound good? Here goes: Anger DE-escalation Tools When triggered, your “fight-or-flight” response is also triggered, which causes your heart to race, blood flow to change (possibly causing tingling, coldness, and numbness). Your breathing to speed up – might even include chest pain, breathlessness, and a choking feeling, dizziness or blurred vision. Your muscles tense and prepare; you sweat, your pupils dilate, and you are more alert. Your goal is to shut off this effect, tell your body that there IS NO THREAT, so your BRAIN can engage, allowing you to RESPOND rationally rather than REACTing in ANGER. Here is how: Belly Breathing : Belly Breathing is a simple way to diffuse fight or flight, and it is easy to use ...