My Coping Mechanisms to Keep My Heart and Mind Healthy

I always thought I had a very strong will and mind. I was unfazed when I had open heart surgery. Things started crumbling when I had pulmonary embolism. A year before I was diagnosed I was in and out of the ER and my respiratory doctor back then just kept upping my asthma meds. I only discovered what was ailing me when I went for a second opinion.

The struggle affected my mental health. It came to a point when I had a second pulmonary embolism, I couldn't push myself anymore. I almost gave up, but I reached out for help and my doctor counselled me to work on my coping mechanisms.

I recently saw a friend post how to deal with things. It said rest when you're tired. Read or do something creative when you're uninspired. Exercise when you feel depressed.. etc. For the life of me I couldn't find the post anymore. It was a re-shared post, so it's harder to find. Anyway, in my mind I do everything it suggested, so thought I'd make my own list.

Here's what I do when I feel blah -

• Tired/weak - I sleep or I go to our cats
• Antsy - I do some gardening
• Angry - I do the dishes or clean or take a long shower
• Uninspired - I read
• Bored - I watch videos (YouTube/movies/TV)
• Unbalanced - I sew
• Depressed - I pray + do something that makes me happy (any of the activities mentioned above)
• Sad - be grateful (make a list of things to be grateful about/be grateful for someone's success)
• Procrastinating? Prioritize the task and follow-up with a happy activity
• Need a boost of happiness?  Play with cats.

One thing I also learned is to avoid triggers. Know what they are so you can avoid it and understand how best to deal with it. I lessened my time doom-scrolling and have kept my circle small. There are things I just can't deal with anymore. I used to jump and join everything, but I realized I have to protect my peace. 

What about you? What are your coping mechanisms?

#BeKind #StaySafe