How do you regain your physical and emotional equilibrium after a crisis? I’ve been been working on that for the last few days. I’ve come up with a three-step process that helped me. Maybe it can help you too.
REFLECT
RELAX
RELEASE
REFLECT: For the first few days after Alex lost consciousness, every time I allowed my mind to drift I saw his face in the moment that I thought he was gone. I realized I needed to process it so I could move on. I wrote about it and I talked to him about my feelings – the fear, the panic, the sadness and my intense sense of loss.
RELAX: I realized the experience had drained me emotionally and physically, so I allowed myself to rest. (I even skipped writing my Word of the Day.)
RELEASE: I make a conscious decision to release that visual image and replace it with one of him sitting at the head of the table, eyes twinkling, happily engaged in conversation with family or friends.
I realize that some of you are caring for loved ones who will not recover. I can only pray that you will have enough quiet days in between emergencies to rebound and regain the strength you will need to continue on this incredibly difficult journey.
