The Recovering Farmer

Saturday, December 31, 2016

That’s All Folks

That sounds rather final. And it is, at least for this year. Another year has come and gone. It seems like this one went by even quicker than the last which went quicker than the year before that. Perhaps it is an age thing. Although when I think back to the outset of 2016 it feels like that is a lifetime ago. Here we are ensconced by another winter. At the end of November it appeared like the winter might be gentle. But alas, two snowfalls later we have significant snow accumulations and it appears there is more to come.

I have seen numerous mentions lately that 2016 was a horrible year. This seems a little puzzling. Why do people feel that way? Listening to the radio this morning shed some light on that. It appears that there were a significant number of well known, dare I say celebrities, that died. Interesting point. But not one that I had considered nor one that I am about to get hung up on.

What is it about famous people’s death that intrigues some? What about people that don’t have celebrity status? When I look around at family and friends that are struggling with health, passing of a loved one, dealing with loss of job, or numerous other issues I find it difficult to grieve because another celebrity died. Don’t get me wrong. It is said when anyone dies. But not anymore sad or tragic than when someone close is struggling or dying.

Sorry for the little rant. So New Years is upon us. The time when many become obsessed with making resolutions. I have said before and will say it again. I have tried and failed. I have given up. Very simply put when I wake up on January 1 life remains virtually the same. It is still winter. It is cold. We have just been through a snow storm with threats of another one on its way. The days are short. Why in the world would I want to quit anything that is helping me cope?

Here is a novel idea. We should change New Years from January 1 to July 1. Me thinks it would be so much easier to carry through with any resolution if it we did during summer rather than the dead of winter. Think about it. Eating less, drinking less, quitting smoking, quitting nicotine gum, getting in shape, all of these would be so much easier in the summer. In fact should I be prime minister that would be a policy or legislative change I would make. I bet you would all vote for me. Right?

Okay. I can only wish. So as we move into the new year I do need to make some changes. However, I refuse to call these resolutions. Rather I need to make some lifestyle changes. These are lifestyle changes I need to make so I am ready for summer when it gets here. Am I contradicting myself? Perhaps. So be it.

The good news is we get an extra second of sleep tonight. You see, the world clock has to be adjusted. Seems the earth rotation on its axis is slowing down. It has slowed down 26 seconds since 1972. Quite fascinating. What about before 1972. Nobody knows because nobody was keeping track. So there you have it. Enjoy that extra sleep. Happy New Years. Make it a good one.

“The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem.” Theodore I. Rubin

Monday, December 26, 2016

Christmas 2016

Here I am a day late. Christmas day was yesterday and here I am posting my annual Christmas thoughts on boxing day. It is rather strange how Christmas snuck up on me this year. I have been quite busy with work and perhaps that is why. Normally I would be relieved because days are now getting longer. Hardly even thought about that this year. I would have a certain dread about all things Christmas. Did not have time to think about that. Year end is fast approaching which just means I need to get some work done so I don’t even find that troublesome.

So before I realized it friends and family had come and gone. It was great to spend time in building relationships. And, as seems to be the norm, Christmas seems to stretch into New Years so the poem I am using again, because I love it, still has significant meaning, even a day late. Make it a good one.

Put your problems on probation
Run your troubles off the track,
Throw your worries out the window
Get the monkeys off your back.
Silence all your inner critics
With your conscience make amends,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Call a truce with those who bother you
Let all the fighting cease,
Give your differences a breather
And declare a time of peace,
Don't let angry feelings taint
The precious time you have to spend,
And allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!

Like some cool refreshing water
Or a gentle summer breeze,
Like a fresh bouquet of flowers
Or the smell of autumn leaves,
It's a banquet for the spirit
Filled with family, food and friends,
So allow yourself some happiness
It's Christmas time again!
Bob Lazzar-Atwood

Thursday, December 15, 2016

What I Am

There are days that I regret having been less than enthused about learning when I had the chance to. Don’t get me wrong. I still am learning and obviously need to keep learning. In fact I have learned so much from my mistakes I am thinking of making a few more. I am referring to school. I have some regrets for not having pursued post-secondary schooling. But what I regret even more is not being engaged in my high school education. I muddled my way through and managed to get my diploma.

I am particularly sorry about my lack of enthusiasm in English class. I think I am managing quite well without having too much math and science know how. After all we have calculators for any type of calculations I need to do in my life. Had I known in grade twelve that someday I would use a cell phone with a built in calculator I could have skipped that subject totally. And science? Who needs it.

English involved Shakespearean literature. Comedies and Tragedies. Some irony that I saw a quote earlier this week that resonated with me and a day later saw the following quote which originates on the Amazon website. "The English language owes a great debt to Shakespeare. He invented over 1700 of our common words by changing nouns into verbs, changing verbs into adjectives, connecting words never before used together, adding prefixes and suffixes, and devising words wholly original." Quite fascinating actually if you consider that Shakespeare invented 1700 words. Perhaps his syntax was off, some stories were difficult to grasp, but at the end of the day some of his quotes hold so much truth. Some of the people that critique my writing would probably suggest I have invented a few words myself. Not sure if that would be considered a comedy or a tragedy.

So in the past I have been challenged to use positive self-talk. I have written about the imaginary parrot sitting on our shoulders. You know the one that repeats everything we say. So when we tell ourselves that we are “such an idiot” or “I am so stupid” or a host of other demeaning terms the parrot repeats that which simply confirms for us that we are actually an idiot or dumb or stupid. Not helpful at all. So when the question is asked, in Shakespeare’s King Richard lll, “what am I if I’m not what I tell myself I am” my first thought is that people suffered from negative self-talk way back when. Not something new but something that needs to be dealt with to avoid all kinds of consequences.

I would like to think that if I am not what I tell myself I am I am a good person. Having said that I know that others think much more highly of themselves than what they really are. Like in “do you know who I am?”. Perhaps not arrogant but certainly a certain level of abrasive self-confidence. However, I digress.

The point being that living with a low level of self-worth, low self-esteem, self-loathing, or continuous shame can be and is very detrimental to our well-being. It drives us into the depths of misery. It prevents us from enjoying a fulfilled life. A quote I have used in the past is “if we talked to others the way we talk to ourselves how many friends would we have?”. When these negative thoughts come our way we have to replace them with positive self-talk. We probably don’t talk to anyone else as much as we talk to ourselves. So be kind to yourself. Make it a good one.

Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t. Start loving yourself for everything that you are.” unknown

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Am I Drowning

We are approaching that time of year again when many people that experience mental health issues find themselves in somewhat of a quandary. I know I do. It is a time of celebration, a time to renew relationships with family and friends, and a time to over eat. Unfortunately we get caught up in the commercialization and busyness of the season. No sooner do we have Halloween off the books and we become bombarded with the material side of the season. It always seems a contradiction to hear carols such as Silent Night as you literally fight your way through the masses in various stores trying desperately to buy that perfect gift for someone who already has everything.

It is also the time of year when daylight hours are at a minimum. Normally it can be the beginning of the coldest time of year. Sure. We had the warmest November since 1899. Wonder what that does to the global warming argument. Perhaps I won’t go there. The price we paid for this unusually warm weather is a total lack of sunshine. Not helpful at all for improving mental health. Even the hand full of Vitamin D each morning could not get me to fight my way through the gloom of another cloudy day.

But enough of me. A few weeks ago I presented to the local CMHA chapter in Melville, Saskatchewan. Earlier this year when I first chatted with one of the board members she shared a concern with me. As we talked about various experiences she mentioned that awareness of mental health issues was a good thing. She mentioned a family member that had suffered the debilitating effects of depression. She expressed gratitude about the way that resources had been available to help this particular person. But she also expressed concern that there seemed to be little mention of the people that were trying to be helpful to those that live with mental health challenges. She felt that these care givers were largely ignored in the big picture.

She makes a valid point. Far too often we forget about those that provide support and care, a support without any clear direction. There are no instructions written that cover the various challenges they face. Never knowing what the day may bring. Mental health issues are so unpredictable. It becomes an exhausting effort. It can have the potential to create another whole set of issues with far reaching implications.

That maybe why the following resonated with me. Sometimes you can get so busy trying to be everyone else’s anchor that you don’t even realize you are drowning. Isn’t that the truth. Whether through work, with family, friends, or community, we become so involved in wanting to be there, show leadership, make sure things happen, never miss a moment, that we lose sight of ourselves and the effect all of this can have on our own mental health. And then we wake up one morning and come face to face with the reality that our lives have changed. That we are now experiencing everything we were helping the other to overcome. Make sure you take the time to look after yourself. After all, without relationships, without community, without a healthy mental state, this time of year can be lonely and sad. We don’t want that and don’t need that. Make it a good one.

“Some people and events are difficult to deal with, but they can only stress us if we let them. Breathe in calm, breathe out chaos, and anchor yourself in peace.” Lori Deschene