The Holiday season is a strange time of the year for many people. Their anxiety level is way up and their bank account is way down. Moving around in these large crowds, purchasing vast amounts of things from these huge shopping plazas, going places they don't want to go and doing things they don't want to do because of learned behavior, mass marketing and all in the name of tradition. Often saying this is crazy and I'm not doing this again next year.
How about trying something different? From now until you go to bed tonight you choose which traditions you plan to carry forward, and which ones you would like to discard. Do the right things, for the right reasons, with whom you choose, and when you feel uplifted and moved along by the positive energy that exists, be mindful of guilt and worry as they will surely kidnap you. Time spent on this earth is limited and valuable. It is a miracle, choose to make the most of each moment.
At the treatment center where I work, many patients are struggling with mood swings, and thoughts of drug use to self- medicate those feelings. Most are homeless, with little money, no possessions to speak of. Some have opened their hearts to love and have been lifted above the mundane. They feel love for others and self. They understand gratitude and peace on a deeper level. An understanding without knowing. I am blessed to be on this journey with them.
The other night I was walking past the patients' lounge. I looked in and began watching a middle aged man iron his shirt. His face was strained, most of his teeth gone, and his forehead wrinkled with the confusion of how he let crack cocaine take the last 20 years from him. I have spent time with him lately in sessions and groups. He is a good man, hard- working, genuine, cares about his peers. And tonight he stands there, homeless, penniless and tired. He has spent the day walking the streets looking for a job and facing one rejection after another. He is doing a fine job with his shirt, no wrinkles, creases down the sleeves, he is a proud man, working hard on his recovery. Tonight he has hope, something I am working hard to help him maintain. Something he will surely need for the long journey ahead.
Tom Diffenderfer is a licensed alcohol and drugs of abuse counselor, and professional musician. He has blended these two passions to produce a series of relaxation albums. With the gentle sound of moving water as a backdrop,and using progressive and passive muscle relaxations along with guided imagery and music, Tom teaches you how to relax your body and mind. What sets this series apart from many others is that Tom brings his many years of combined experience as a therapist and musician to the project. These guided relaxations and music have been shown to be effective in clinical settings, for those in recovery from chemical abuse and suffering from high anxiety. To learn more visit Tom at http://www.relaxationforanxiety.com/
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