From the desk of Dr. Moshe Zloof, Advice of the week for May 20, 2009

Suggestions to Help Reduce Your Suffering in Times of Crisis

By Dr. Moshe Zloof

Life, as we all know, is like a roller coaster with many ups and downs. Sometimes circumstances, along with bad luck, can propel a person into a state of crisis. While some people can deal with rough situations better than others, it still takes its toll in the form of worries, anxieties, and stress -- the mind is constantly being invaded by Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs). This further magnifies the suffering, affecting one’s mood and behavior.

Advice: To alleviate some of the distress, I suggest

1. Use past ‘Points of Reference’ Each time ANT enters your mind, make an effort to replace it by a positive one, such as recalling how you overcame a similar experience in the past--a point of reference--or how others dealt successfully with similar situations.
2. Divide up the problems that are causing the worries. If you share your life with a spouse or a partner, try to divide the issues so that each one of you deals only with part of them. For example, if one loses his/her job, causing financial hardship, then one spouse can focus and worry about finding a job, while the other deals with the family finances. But, most importantly, don’t point fingers at each other -- it will just drain your energies even more.
3. Consider worst and best case scenarios to make you feel better; think that the situation could have been worse, and imagine a positive outcome that will perhaps turn out to be a Blessing in Disguise.
4. Use your support system. Don’t be shy in asking for advice from family members and friends. It is okay to spill your guts out once or twice to in order to get good advice. Just be careful not to overdo it. You don't want to become an ‘Energy Vampire’.

Comments:

• Part II of last week will be sent out in the near future.
• If you need any private coaching or want to attend a Visual Workshop on MindVisualizer, email Dr. Zloof at mzloof@aol.com.