Staying Strong.

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I need simple, easy to accomplish ways of giving me a little bit of strength to push through all the stuff around me at the moment - first term teaching (and believe me, new teachers get every disease known to man and then some), mild depression and my girlfriend being denied entrance to the country. Dressing snappily and exercising are doing some good, but I need just that little bit more.

Advice, songs, pictures and drawings welcome.

Cheers.

― Mike Stuchbery, Tuesday, 10 June 2003 08:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Compile tapes of your favourite upbeat songs and re-read favourite books.

Give yourself time to make tasty meals from fresh ingredients every day - psychologically comforting as well as keeping you in physical good health.

Eat lots of fruit and don't drink alcohol (at least until you're out of the new teacher virus zone.)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 08:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Lots of fruit & veg def. Try taking extra vitamin c & also echnicea (sp) is supposed to be very good at warding off pending illnesses.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 08:54 (twenty-two years ago)

find yrself a victim, take your frustration out on them

― DG (D_To_The_G), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 08:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Shoot the Piano Player from the Planet of the Apes (2.2 MB)

― Sommermute (Wintermute), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't be afraid to be selfish.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 12:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Check out a silly comedy.
Get out and be social.

― Sarah MCLusky (coco), Tuesday, 10 June 2003 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Order "The Langley Schools Music Project" CD - it's bound to cheer you up. Or make you laugh so hard you wet your unmentionables. Or something like that.

Also, as corny as it sounds, I find that watching that "Funniest Animal Videos" on Animal Planet (muted, of course - with the Beatles playing on the stereo) quite uplifting - well, maybe "uplifting" is not the best choice of words. But, really, it's an excellent, cheerful emotion. (Ever watch a tortoise 'run' in one of those rodent wheels?)

Also, the fruits and veggies and natural light treatment is the way to go - and keeping socially active and letting out some of the tension through sports and exercise - and remembering that everything is transitory.

My favorite quote, from the Jack Soo character on Barney Miller who is quoting his grandfather:

Everything looks bad when it first happens, but at least we ain't got locusts.

For me, that sums up my philosophy of life.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:09 (twenty-two years ago)

*hugs*

― lyra (lyra), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I agree on the good nutrition thing, esp. if you're being bombarded with sick teenagers all the livelong day. It also helps prevent depression if you're well fed, and you avoid booze and smokes (trust me on this one).

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck 'em! Read Camus.

― Millar (Millar), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm taking up KUNG FU. Soon I will be unstoppable.

― Michael Stuchbery (Mikey Bidness), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:37 (twenty-two years ago)

until you meet Royce Gracie (just thought he should be mentioned on ILE)

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I won't tell you how I survived last year (first year teaching, being dumped, poverty). Although I did make it through it wasn't with the best of health. (also i never got sick from my kiddos. less touching and close quarters with the older ones help prevent this.)

― That Girl (thatgirl), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Hahah, mine are vicious, monkey-like creatures who crawl up onto my back to get a better vantage point to watch what I'm doing on my laptop - TOM ATKINSON, I'M LOOKING AT YOU!

― Michael Stuchbery (Mikey Bidness), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 03:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Keep in mind that sometimes cliches are the best at giving advice. The one that would apply in this situation is, "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." Also, considering that much of your current stress is being caused by outside sources, it'd be easier for you to channel your stress toward some self-indulgent, personal betterment-type activities (anything in the arts or sports departments will do wonderfully). I also recommend meditation. Just get comfortable, let everything tense up at first, then relax, keeping in mind some tranquil scene of a quiet, rolling river amidst a brilliant green field of grass, while you're underneath one of the many trees that dot the landscape, looking up at the brilliant blue sky and the white fluffy clouds that look vaguely like cute animals.

*shrug* Hey, that scene works for me!

Oh, and another cliche -- "The best things come to those who wait" -- could also be relied upon in this case. Your girlfriend (that's Caitlin the wonder girl, right?) seems like such a sweetheart that once she does get to go back into the country, it will be more than worth the wait.

― Dee the Lurker (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 04:30 (twenty-two years ago)

FYI: chemotherapy will NOT make you stronger

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I was going to add, flippant as it is, whenever someone says "that which doesnt kill us makes us stronger" I always feel like saying "ok so what happens if it kills me then?"

Man, what a bad day I'm having...

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 05:30 (twenty-two years ago)

It assumes your form and goes after a new victim.

Seriously though, Trayce, you're in dire need of some hugs at the moment.

*HUGS*

Yeah.

― Mike Stuchbery, Wednesday, 11 June 2003 07:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

That's the stupidest thing ever said. Yeah, you become stronger, but you also build all sorts of walls around yourself not to feel so bad. It took me a long time to realize this. Nowadays, I prefer being weak and emotional rather than strong and cold. There's nothing wrong in being weak, it isn't something you should be ashamed of.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 08:52 (twenty-two years ago)

That's the stupidest thing ever said.

You're thinking of "Everything happens for a reason".

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 08:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay, the second stupidest.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 09:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Third stupidest. Because: 'Smile, it might never happen.'

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 09:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Try and surround yourself with positive, supportive people (yay for ILX!!). It's all too easy to be brought down by people who have a negative outlook on life, especially if you are feeling vulnerable/susceptible at the moment. Misery and depression are like bad monsters, but they die if you don't feed them.

Try and find a moment of humour and happiness every day - whether it is just remembering an act of kindness, a joke you heard, something which made you smile, thinking about someone you love, or just simply enjoying the sunshine or the beauty of the stars. It sounds a bit twee and Polyanna-ish, but sometimes we get so bound up in all the difficulties of every day life that we forget to peek out through the fog and remind ourselves of the good things.

― C J (C J), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 11:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Listen to some Asian Dub Foundation.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 12:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know how I've done it over the last two years - and I don't feel I'm entirely out of the woods yet. But I do feel I'll make it now. I don't think I have any generalised advice to offer anyone really. Keeping myself occupied and supported has been important, but I think that has more to do with my depression than general problems.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 11 June 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm having a really low day. Sometimes I don't know how I'm going to make it. :(

― Michael Stuchbery (Mikey Bidness), Friday, 13 June 2003 03:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Well its time for me to return the favour then Mike m'dear...

*HUGS*

I know sometimes it all really piles on your head, and you wonder how the hell you're going to pull through... hope you're ok tho :-/

I felt like hell 2 days ago but today, I'm a little better. Tonight is going to be hard though...(long story)

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 13 June 2003 03:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, it's just it's really dark and rainy today and I miss my girlfriend and she's experiencing some family turbulence and that always get me a tad apprehensive - at the very least I have trouble concentrating on my work.

Y'know, though, haven taken a karate lesson last night, I do feel like I've got more 'backbone' as it were, to get through this. At least I can punch through styrofoam blocks.

― Michael Stuchbery (Mikey Bidness), Friday, 13 June 2003 03:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Ive a few things I feel like punching through at the moment and they ain't styrofoam, let me tell you *grumble*.

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 13 June 2003 03:32 (twenty-two years ago)

you should all ENLIST IN THE MARINES

― Millar (Millar), Friday, 13 June 2003 03:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I'd be crushed like the little girly I actually am!

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 13 June 2003 04:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I AM DOING KARATE. I CAN BREAK THE GHOST RIGHT OUT OF YOU ALL.

― Mike Stuchbery, Friday, 13 June 2003 07:38 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

Maybe it needs more than 7 pushes? Pleas someone help me please!!!

― f_rankle, Wednesday, 21 January 2009 22:14 (sixteen years ago)

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