“Tough times never last, but tough people do. ” ~ Robert H Schuller
I love that quote, we all go through tough times but how true is it that however bad or interminable they seem we do come out the other side?
Tough times do change us, often making us stronger and more flexible than we were before though we often have to work through so many negative emotions to get to that point that sometimes we wonder if it’s worth it until quite a long time later.
What are the things that help you to remain hopeful when times are tough? For me it’s my faith, there is a little kernel deep inside me that refuses to let go of my hope and trust in God. Connecting with that central core of hope sustains me.
I know other people who use exercise or meditation exercises to help them to re-channel their negative emotions and to re-balance their inner being. They use these methods to connect with that little core of hope.
Other people use art or music to help them find that inner core and some engage in several of these activities to help them to find and maintain their inner peace. Music definitely works for me too, though I am still working on the exercise part. I know it helps to dispel negativity and is good for physical and mental wellbeing but it’s something I struggle to engage with consistently even more so after lockdowns.
Have you found what works for you yet? There are lots of good sessions available on the park to help you to find and sustain your inner well-being at the moment and there are chaplains to connect with in the Engine Rooms most Monday and Wednesday lunch-times if you would like someone to explore this with.
As chaplains part of our role is to help you find ways of nourishing yourself, giving yourself time to explore what will help you to feel positive and hopeful in life. We are that listening ear that you can bounce thoughts, hopes or concerns onto. We can also sign-post you to organisations that provide extra support in a range of situations. We’re here to listen whatever you would like to talk about and if you just want to break up your day with a light-hearted conversation that’s great too.
If you don’t manage to catch up with a chaplain on site, as always you can contact us via email on info@mitechaplaincy.com where you can request a call-back, or you are very welcome to call me (Debbie) directly on my mobile: 07526 378529 either to chat or to arrange a time to meet up with one of the chaplains.
We also have a range of resources on our web-site including some that are more specific to the Covid-19 outbreak and some that help in dealing with stress: https://mite.org.uk If you prefer you can easily keep in touch with us on social media: Facebook: @mitechaplaincy Twitter: @mitesthwarr
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash