Prepare To Be Resilient

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2018 and Quotes That Provide Food for Thought

By Damita J 2018 marked some wins and some losses. I did not get everything I wanted, but it's okay. I cherish the good, cope with the bad, and make plans. Some of the people I've worked with have told me they felt many emotions this year such as: anxiety, defeat, happiness, anger, frustration, and fear (fear of failure, success, of the unknown). There is no cookie cutter solution for emotional ills, but there is one universal truth. The truth is that whatever life brings, you have to...

Some Poignant Quotations

By DamitaJQ Reading short, poignant quotations sometimes helps with resiliency, perseverance, and coping skills. Sometimes, we all need a quick shot of positivism. Benjamin Franklin and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. are two visionaries that I admire a lot. Franklin’s quote is great because it talks about the importance of immersing oneself to gain the skills. There are a lot of talkers who may try to instruct you on what to do, but the final step of involvement is a great step because it means one applies the teaching into developing skills. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s inspirational comments below apply to life and how important perseverance becomes in one’s life. Some people have told me how that they feel stuck or bad off. While I understand that they are speaking their truth; I also realize that it is not healthy for them to remain in that ‘stuck’ place. Wherever you are...

Death for someone so young

By Damita How do you cope with a foreseeable death and tragedy in someone else’s life? My husband/partner has a friendship with a man that has lasted since they were teenagers. This man lives in the Greater Northwest Area and has had multiple family tragedies – a pregnant wife dying before giving birth and other family members dying tragically. A couple of days ago, this man called my husband to tell him about another tragedy. His young, adult daughter who has never married or had children, has terminal brain cancer. Her doctor has reportedly given her three months left to live! My husband said that man (understandably) was in tears on and off throughout the conversation. The daughter is already suffering, her body is breaking down, and she uses a wheelchair. She got a second opinion from a different doctor to be sure of her fatal diagnosis. She has moved back in with her father for care...

Two Iconic American Symbols of Resilience

By Damita J Two prominent survivors who made epic displays of resiliency passed away this month. The Queen of Aretha Soul, Aretha Franklin. Former Senator and decorated war veteran, John McCain died. The resilience and strength they both displayed are legendary. Franklin, AKA the Queen of Soul, won 18 Grammys! She died at the age of 76 in August of 2018. Her televised funeral which was about eight hours long, will go down in the history books as one of the longest ones. She had 18 Grammy Awards and was a Kennedy Center Honoree. She was the first woman to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. One fact that I never knew about Franklin was that she had four sons – two of whom she had under the age of 16! How many teenage mothers experience having a hard time getting their lives back on track after such an event? Having two children early in her life, did not deter her from performing and realizing her dreams. Fr...

"Get Up, Show Up, and Try"

By Damita J Let’s face it. Every major problem becomes significant to us because it deals with our lives whether it involves a life-altering disease, an injury, a significant other losing interest in us, having -work-related problems, or losing a job. In those situations, most of us bounce back because we have good medical care, can talk with a therapist, seek out other friends, or change our jobs. But, how would you feel if you had no safe, warm, secure place to rest each day? What does resilience look like for people at the very bottom? What does resilience look like when your life falls apart due to homelessness? Some people fall apart, some just exist, while some find ways to cope. Some homeless people appear to ...

Do You Feel Stuck Creatively?

By Damita JQ Have you ever felt stuck creatively? Are you constantly worrying about working on a writing project or are you a budding writer? Perhaps, you have a creative business in mind, but worry about making the right decision. Have you ever felt stuck creatively – either briefly or long-term? I have. I used to work as a Reporter and covered news’ stories. I had to decide how to frame each and every story I worked on for the day. I have also loved writing fictional stories since I was a child. When I grew up, I wanted to be around other writers, so I joined some writers’ groups. During some meetings, I would hear some writers complain about lacking inspiration and about feeling stuck. They seemed deeply perplexed. I knew that some very creative people struggled to get their writings or art works done. Some decided to plan ways to deal with an occasional lack of inspiration. Som...