Opinion

Do you take time for yourself? That alone time has stress-relieving benefits, no doubt. But what if all that time alone is not by choice? It can literally be forced upon you. The longer you isolate and keep yourself in solitude, the more symptomatic you can become.

Stop acting like a child. Sheesh. “Act your age!” she yelled. Faced with certain challenges, you can easily revert to a much earlier stage in your development. Reason and logic can go out the window as we feel panic, anger, or even despair. The situations that create the shift from adult to child are actually a guide to your past hurts or trauma.

Do your friends or mate fail to interpret your needs? We all crave boundless love. But know this: your friend, husband, or wife who at one moment can be wonderful and sublime may, at another, be antagonizing and even exasperating.

I know y’all have heard about how important it is for your self-care to set boundaries with others. Just where and how do you draw that line? No doubt some days you simply have more to give than others. So remember that what he has to offer you may also vary day to day.

Do you know how to cope with stress or how to manage your sadness or defeatism? Mastering this skill would sure make life a lot smoother, wouldn’t it? First things first, sweet friends: we need to learn to identify our emotions. Believe it or not, you may have no idea what you are feeling at any given moment in time.

What is your communication style? Do you tend to be coercive, intimidating – even bullying at times? Does your friend or partner use language that makes you fearful or anxious? Some feel that if they are suffering, they need to blame others and then make them suffer as well.