Resilience the TLC Way

Section 1: General Introduction

What is Resilience?
Main Theme: Be Strong1
General Thoughts
Fighting back!

Confidence
President George W. Bush

Stand Strong with your values

Rick Nelson

Determination
Patience
Total Living Concepts
Overview
Section 2: Body
Three Sections

Exercise
Introduction
Why Exercise
Take Care of Your One and Only

Examples of Exercise
4 Types of Exercise
Another Classification – Aerobic and Anerobic
A Shortcut
General Types of Exercise

Exercise Benefits
Recap and Addendum
Nutrition
Introduction
Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
Protein Foods
Dairy Products
Health and Self-Care
Introduction
Start the Day with Something Positive

More Tips
Multitasking
Cleanliness
Sleep – One of the Most Important Body Functions
Intro to Sleep
Complications of Lack of Proper Sleep
Causes of Sleeplessness
Habits – Form Good Habits to Help You Sleep
On the Medical Side
Introduction
Time for a Doctor Visit
Don’t Neglect the Needles
Only One Second Chance for These
This One Reveals a Lot About You
Protect Your Skin
Section 3: Mind
Introduction
General Information
Thoughts and Feelings

Mental Category
Acceptance
Life throws you a lot of curves
More to consider (think about)
A good example
Being Grateful

Emotional Category
Introduction to Emotions
Forgiveness
Worry
Anger
Fear
Depression
Happiness
Recap of Emotions
Section 4: Spirit
Introduction to the Spiritual Category
Service to God
Lesson 1: Rely on God for everything
Lesson 2: Thank God for all things
Lesson 3: Have Faith
Lesson 4: Study God’s Word
Lesson 5: Regularly visit a place of Worship
Recap of Spiritual
z
What is resilience?
According to my computer’s
thesaurus, similar words include
flexibility, elasticity, bounciness,
springiness, toughness, strength,
and resistance. I like to describe
resilience as the ability to “bounce
back” and let negativity “roll off
your back”. I perceive resilience as
a defensive method to prepare,
fight back, and adjust to life’s
problems
You may want to learn to look at each problem as a challenge or
game. As with chess, football, and basketball, you make a move, let the
other player make a move, and react to the previous move. Life is like
that. Play the game. Sometimes you win; sometimes you don’t. Know
your limitations, but on important things in your life, do the best you
can.
You need to build up strength. No, you don’t even consider
holding up the world with one hand. You need to be strong in your
personal wellbeing within your own world.
The main thing is to have a good attitude about your challenges,
about your life, about others, and about the world. Does that sound
hard to do? It’s takes a lot of determination to learn how to do that.
The next thing is to make good decisions in order to make good actions.
Think hard about the potential results. Do you play chess? If so, you
know you must think ahead of the possible outcomes from each move
you make. Read on and have the main goal to be strong!
Main Theme: Be strong!
As you peruse through our course, we want you to focus on one
thing: being strong! This will be repeated many times over. Don’t get
tired of it; literally use it as a reminder when you confront a problem
(challenge).
Let’s look at five consecutive points to consider how to be strong!
1. Preparation – If possible, try to think ahead of anything you
can do to be ready for the upcoming challenge. Remember
life’s lessons from previous experience and from others and
utilize that information.
If you are planning on going somewhere, make a mental or
physical list of what you need to take with you. Visualize what
you might say or do at the event.
2. Fighting back – When life throws a punch at you, you must
fight back. Don’t give in to emotions such as depression or
anger, but do what you can to “win”. No, we don’t mean to
physically fight back at someone. We mean to fight off your
negative emotions and moods. You may need to practice by
thinking of something else. Perhaps it would be easy to
routinely choose a scene or happy moment at a previous time.
Try to repeat a few words such as “great moment” or “great
feeling”.
3. Adjustment – You may need to learn to adapt to a change.
Heraclitus wrote, “The only thing in life that is not constant is
change”. You learned that early as you consistently changed
grades in school. Perhaps you moved before completing
graduation. What a difference! New school, perhaps new town,
new people. You had to adjust. Adulthood brings on many
changes. Some changes may seem good; some may seem bad,
but you must adjust. If you can’t change back, the key words to
apply are “accept” and “adapt” or make the best of it.
Confidence – You need to build your confidence to face each
challenge. This may not be easy for you. When facing a difficult
challenge, think of a previous accomplishment when you were
successful. Accept a mediocre result. Do the best you can.
Sometimes you get a second chance. If so, take advantage of
what you learned from the previous time.
Acceptance – After you have done everything you can, be
content with the results. It doesn’t do any good wishing it went
differently. If there’s nothing you can do, accept and adjust.
General thoughts
You can’t change the past, but you can help
form a better future by learning from the past. Yes,
you can learn from mistakes others have made as
well.
Each day I have many flashbacks of unpleasant
events in my life. These are usually due to trigger words or passing by a
location of an unpleasant event. I know I must continue on, so I have
devised a defensive mechanism. Sometimes I purposely pass by an area
several times. As I approach, I consciously concentrate on something
positive. If I find that is difficult, I try to focus on an affirmation to help
me as I pass by. I usually like to affirm a positive statement about
something other than the topic of what occurred in that area. That way,
(Check out our video of TLC Affirmations included with this
eBook/course). I consciously don’t even relate to the past event.
Yes, I may have chosen the easy way to avoid that area, but this way
helps me get over what occurred. I want to be strong!
You should let negative thoughts roll off your back or literally
picture them rolling off your head. How can you do that? It may not be
easy for you. Saying verbally “go anger” or “go fear”, etc. may help you
release the thoughts. Better yet, try to replace those thoughts with
positive thoughts such as “peace” or “faith”.
What’s the worst insult you have heard about yourself? Was the
information correct? Or was it exaggerated? Does it matter?
I have been highly insulted over my years. Somehow I forgot most
of them. How? Time is one simple answer. If you don’t dwell on it, the
memories may go away completely. Perhaps there is an occasional
reminder. You still should be all right.
If an insult sticks to you, you must find a way to repel it. If the
insult was not justified, you should be able to overcome the negative
effects of it simply because it is not true. So, does it really matter what
someone else thinks of you? Was it a friend? Friends come and go. Was
it a colleague at work? People change jobs so maybe you won’t see that
person or group anymore. Was it a neighbor? Neighbors move. Was it
someone you don’t really know? It should not matter. None of it should
matter.
Fighting back
On the other hand, was the insulting statement true? Do you
really fit into the awful mold someone put you into? Can you change
whatever it was? Use that insult as constructive criticism. If you can’t
change, accept yourself as you are.
Fight back! No, don’t physically fight the person who insulted you.
Fight back with change or acceptance. Be strong!

Perspective
How do you think others perceive you? Someone once said to me,
“Am I to assume you are not an honest person?” I knew I was telling
the truth. Another person commented that I am as honest as the day is
long. I shrugged it off and said the day is not very long. Anyway, I’m glad
he believed in me. On another occasion, I thought had to lie. It seemed
to be the most reasonable choice. I got caught. Someone told me he
wouldn’t believe a word I say. I think that was harsh. I know the
situation was crucial, so I did what I thought I had to do. It’s up to me to
know that usually I am honest. (I try harder not to get in that type of
situation anymore. That’s the best way to be strong.)
Someone called me “stupid”. Am I? Maybe I am not smart in some
ways, but I know I excel in other ways. Does it really matter anyway? I
accept myself as I am.
Know who you are. It’s how you perceive yourself that counts!
More importantly, be what you can be. Yes, almost the Army slogan. I
did not intentionally try to copy it; the words just came out that way.
Set your reasonable goals and accomplish what you can. If you
don’t reach your goals, accept yourself and be strong!
Knowledge
Knowledge is helpful. Think a few moments if you have correct
information to solve your current situation. If you do not, then try to
figure if you can obtain the needed knowledge. If you don’t think you
can find the right source or don’t have the time to get it, trust your own
instincts. Do the best you can and accept what occurs.

Stand by your decisions

I have been highly criticized for being out in the hot sun. I used to
stay outside in the morning hours and tamed am almost feral cat. I saw
others who live in my building sitting in the shade. I overheard a woman
say “crazy” and the man beside her replied something about a cat. I
wish they had the facts. I needed real vitamin D for my bones. This was
in the morning when the heat was tolerable for me. I did not get a
sunburn and barely got a suntan, so I think I was doing right.
Stand by your own instincts. Don’t take chances but do what you
must do. Consider others’ opinions but make your own decisions and be
strong about them!
Confidence:
Does it matter what people think of you? Do you hate insults and
unfair criticism? You surely have had some embarrassing moments. Did
you mope about them, or did you laugh at yourself as others laughed at
you?
Following are excerpts of stories of two famous people who have
had their ups and downs, probably far beyond our problems.

President George W. Bush blunders

Sometimes it may seem as
you can’t even dress yourself
right. Have you ever put on two
un-matched socks and didn’t
notice until someone told you?
U.S. President George W.
Bush awkwardly fumbled with
his poncho and appeared to
Photo by History in have hit former Vice President
HD on Unsplash Dick Chaney with its tag. So,
how did he react? You might
watch the video to see how a
once-very powerful man handled an awkward situation. What would
you do?
(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-george-w-bush-had-a-
little-trouble-with-his-poncho-at-trumps-inauguration/). Ellen
DeGeneres featured a discussion on his clumsy moment on her show
(https://www.ellentube.com/video/president-bush-on-his-poncho-
problem.html#time=48). At the end of the interview, Ellen had
someone bring in a poncho with instructions “This End Up”. President
Bush calmly went along with the whole thing, even smiling a little
himself.
"He has been quoted as getting his words mixed up.
They misunderestimated me” is one phrase he messed up. Another was
“"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They
never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our
people, and neither do we."
So, am I putting down our former President? Not at all. You have
your opinion of him, and I have mine. I like him. The whole idea is to
accept your own blunders, learn from them, and do better the next
time. If someone makes fun of your goof-ups, laugh along with them.
Be strong!

The Upside of his speeches:

Another point I want to make is to remember his speech after the
September 11 attack. It is considered as one of the best speeches ever
made. What a comeback! To my knowledge there was never any
mention of any blunders in that great speech! Maybe there weren’t any
blunders.
Body Language:
A commentator explained President Bush’s body language. He
had the habits of leaning over the podium, but not in this speech.
Notice his confident approach, especially at 8:00 on the tape. Can you
see his determination to follow through with what he is saying? He
emphasizes his points by moving his face forward and furrowing his
brows. He says a lot without words! Watch that hand starting at 8:42.
You know that he was filled with anger because of the bombing
on our soil. Yet he was calmly forceful. He knows when to pause
between sentences.
Notice the commentator’s reference to the stages of grief as
written by Dr. Kübler-Ross. We know as a nation and people, and as
many individuals who were grieving over their losses. He made it clear
that we will recover. We will be strong!

Personal comments:
I trained my dog with my hand motions. He watched my
movements. In the beginning to teach him to stay, I was emphatic with
my large hand motions. Later, all I had to do was just put one hand up
slightly, and he obeyed. I never had to utter one word. It was fun
watching him run up the long driveway and try to stop at a moment’s
notice from me with one little hand gesture. What a dog!
My dog’s example and President Bush’s example should give you
motivation to use gestures as you talk or and remain verbally silent. It
should help to give you confidence.
So, how else can you get confidence with communication? Ozzie
Nelson (The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet) often rehearsed
upcoming talks or speeches when he was alone. Although he made it a
comedy, you should take this very seriously. You might try looking in a
mirror and rehearse something. Notice if your hands move. Notice your
facial expressions. With conversations, pause briefly but not too long as
the other person may think you’re finished and will interrupt. Be
strong!

Recap of President Bush story

This controversial man taught me that
everyone has some “off” moments or
blunders. It’s how you handle them that
counts. He remained calm and showed
some humor on national television about
his poncho moments.
He knows some people like him, and
some people don’t. Yet, he still stays in the
public eye. I get a kick out of his “Bushisms”
where his words didn’t quite come out right.
He made a great comeback which we will never forget when he
made his famous speech after our September 11 attack on our
American soil. He is also well-known for his appearance at ground zero
when he used a bullhorn to make his famous speech.
So how will the world remember him? Hopefully, most will
remember his steadfast speeches when they counted the most, not his
blunders.

Additional Comments
1) President Bush encouraged us to go on with our lives without
fear. We need to remember that in all our problems.
2) If a dog notices and relates to slight movements you make (body
language), you know people observe and react.
 3) Remember your “poncho moments”, accept, laugh at yourself,
and learn to be strong!

Stand strong with your values

Values, also known as beliefs, should be taken very seriously. If
you friends ask you to accompany them to do something you believe is
not morally right, you have a choice to make. Do you 1) Go along to fit
in and keep your friends or 2) Clearly state why you don’t think it is a
good thing to do and don’t go with them?
Think of the consequences to others as well as yourself. Do you
have a strong conscience? If you don’t, perhaps you should re-evaluate
your values.
Be strong enough to say “No” to others.
Be strong enough to say “No” to yourself.
Rick Nelson:
Do you remember the skinny kid on The Adventures of Ozzie and
Harriet? Yeah, little Ricky. For you younger folks, I will give a brief
history of Ricky who later wanted to be called Rick.
He was a troubled teenager whose early-years’ background got
him involved in the public eye by co-starring with his real-life family,
Ozzie and Harriet (mom and dad) and his brother David. You younger
folks may recognize his twin sons, Gunner and Matthew, also known as
Nelson.
His teens and early adulthood were rough. His girlfriend suddenly
married someone else. Believe it or not, he also lost another love who
suddenly disappeared. He got another girlfriend pregnant and married
her (Kristin), who also co-starred on the TV show. After the marriage of
fourteen years, the were divorced.
He was in a few movies, one of which he and Kris starred in (Love
and Kisses). He is famous for acting and co-starred in a western movie
called Rio Bravo with John Wayne and Dean Martin and The Wackiest
Ship in the Army with Jack Lemmon.
Acting was not his life’s passion. He was a rock star. His fame
started with a number one single hit that sold over a million copies in a
week due to auditioning it on the TV sitcom show. He started touring
with a 20,000 audience at the Ohio State Fair. His record “Hello Mary
Lou” and “Travelin’ Man” was the number one record in 25 countries.
By the way, he only recorded it to impress a date who got excited over
hearing Elvis on the radio. He decided to make a record, even if its just
one, and hand it to her.
So, was everything all right with him after that? Not at all. After
having hit after hit for a decade, his records quit selling. This was
supposedly mostly due to The Beatles’ fame that changed the rock and
roll style. In the early seventies, he attended an “oldies concert” with
long hair and wasn’t the little Ricky many fans knew. The audience was
also about 20,000 like the Ohio State Fair audience. Instead of the great
welcoming audience at the Fair, he got booed off the stage.
The controversy was the crowd started booing the police as they
escorted out two people who were fighting. Rick thought they were
booking him, and in fact, maybe some of the crowd did.
Was that the end of his rock and roll days? Not at all. He came
back by writing his signature song that sold more records than any
other. You may know this one: “Garden Party”. He continued recording
and touring. Before he died, Amusement Business (a magazine owned
by Billboard) mentioned that he may have had the best music on the
road.
So, he learned his lesson well…. “You see you can’t please
everyone, so you got to please yourself”.
Be yourself and “Be strong!”
Recap of Rick Nelson story
So, have you learned anything from Rick’s life? I surely have. He
was constantly watched everywhere he went. Can you handle that
much fame? I was particularly impressed that he took a negative date
situation to a higher level and made his first hit record.
He suddenly lost two loves yet played himself on the show as if
nothing was wrong. He bounced back and pressed on. He was divorced
after fourteen years of marriage with four children.
He was extremely successful, but his career took a nosedive. So,
what did he do? You know …. He bounced back with a super great hit,
his signature song, and proved he would do his music his way.
So, you, too can accept your setbacks and proceed onward to be
strong! Don’t expect too much and be content with what you have.
Bounce back …. Be strong!
Determination
“Ru-dy, Ru-dy, Ru-dy”
Do you recognize that chant? It’s for “Rudy” Ruettiger, who finally
achieved his dream to enter the University of Notre Dame as a student
and be accepted on their football team. It wasn’t easy for him as his
grades weren’t up to par due to dyslexia. He also had a disadvantage of
5’6” and weighed 165 pounds.
Rudy was determined and studied hard at Holy Cross College, and
after four applications, he finally got accepted to the University of
Notre dame. He didn’t get to play on the football team until his final
game. Notre Dame kicked off with only 28 seconds to go. Do you know
what happened? Just two plays later, Rudy sacked the opposing team’s
quarterback. Wow! They call that the “Rudy Play”.
If you struggle with a goal, don’t give up! If your options run out
before you can complete the goal, be proud of your gutsy tries and
accept your limitations. Be strong!
Patience
How many times have your
heard someone say “Have patience!” I
like to tell them only doctors and
nurses have patience! Oh, yes, it’s
spelled differently, but you get the
idea.
While at college, I believe the
best thing I learned was one single
word. Was the word patience? No, but
patience is a good word.
The imortant lesson with a one-word description applies to almost
any task. What is that word? I’m going to ask you to have patience and
earn your way to learn this decisive five-letter word.
Following on the next page is a puzzle that contains the word on
each row.
Clue 1: The word is spelled forwards or backwards in each row.
Clue 2: Each of the first four rows spell the word with spaces
between each consecutive letter. The amount of spaces may be
different for each row, but the same in a row.
For those of you who don’t like puzzles, go to clue 3.
Clue 3: You know that the rows must contain the letters in the
word, so you might want to cross out the letters that are not
repeated in each row. I prefer that you try it the hard way for a
while first. It’s your life.
Be patient; be strong!
That should give you the five-letter word that I consider as one of the
most important words in our language. Concluding thought: remind
yourself of this word whenever you need it. You might even write a
note and place on your fridge or desk.
The rest of this space is reserved for your notes if you need it.
Total Living Concepts
The following material focuses on Resilience: The TLC Way, which
is a life-skills program that covers all aspects of life. The program is
based upon five Units. The first three are very commonly known as
Body, Mind, and Spirit. The Body Unit consists of the Physical category
and includes Exercise, Nutrition, and Health and Self-Care. The Mind
Unit depicts actions and interactions of thoughts and feelings (Mental
and Emotional Categories). The Spirit Unit comprises your relationship
with your God. The other two units are more complex. The first one is
the Self Unit of which you are influenced by others but are mainly
responsible for your actions. These include aspects of Financial,
Occupational, Recreational, Educational, and Personal Categories. The
last Unit is the Others Unit of which others are directly involved with
influencing your actions. These are Social, Marital, and Parental
Categories.
Overview
Now, let’s look a little more in depth with these units and help you
find a few ways to find resilience in each category. For the sake of the
amount of content, I am only including the first three units: Body, Mind,
and Spirit. Also, the other units are written for the more advanced
participants.
BODY: You struggle with your tight
schedule that fends off the time to
exercise. You give in to temptations
to eat the wrong food. When do you
have time to see your doctors? When
do you have time for fun? When do
you have time to find ways to relax?
MIND: You struggle with negative
thoughts and bad emotions. How do
you fight off depression and anxiety?
SPIRIT: You may tend to make
decisions without asking your God for
advice. You may slack with faith and
service.

I want to make it clear that some information of TLC Units

overlaps. For example, the Body and Mind many times coincide. It is
obvious that exercise is good for the body, but did you know that
exercise is also good for the mind?
Recap and Addendum
You’re never too young or too old to
learn how to be resilient. You need to
learn that it’s not what happens to you
that counts; it’s how you react to what
punches life has given you. That’s part of
the battle with yourself. Many times, it’s
easier to give in to weakness. For
example, you might fear something, so
you avoid it. The strong side of you will
face it as a welcoming challenge. Fear or
strength! You choose. Be strong!
Steps to consider when facing a challenge.
Prepare
Fight back
Adjust
Confidence
Re-try (if possible)
Accept
Are you ready to delve into the first Unit (Body)?
Let’s go!
Three Sections
This segment of the course of the Body Unit consists of only one
Category: Physical. It involves three parts. The first part concerns
exercise. You will learn the four areas of physical exercise and examples
of each. Several examples are given for a variety of choices to do it your
way.
The second segment of this chapter is about nutrition. The basic
part revolves around the United States Department of Agriculture’s My
Plate, which divides food intro groups in healthy portions.
The third segment delves into some general health principles and
self-care techniques to help you ward off stress as well as physical and
psychological ailments by staying healthy.
The first part is about exercise. It includes activities such sports and
dancing.

Introduction:
Lack of exercise can cause stress, obesity, depression, and more
health issues. Why do some people like exercise while others hate it? I
can’t answer that. The important thing is to know that it is essential for
several reasons.
Why exercise?
Exercise provides many commonly-known benefits as well as
many not well recognized. ` You were taught to exercise in Phys Ed, but
did you keep it up after you graduated? Perhaps your Phys Ed teacher
did not impress upon you the importance of continuing this “class” for
your lifetime.
The main benefits of exercise are obvious --
1) To lose or maintain weight
2) To get or stay healthy

Obesity causes stress and health

issues. This can affect the heart, lungs,
muscles, digestive system, and even the
brain. More than 75% of emergency room
visits are stress related. Stress is also linked
to the six leading causes of death: heart
disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents,
cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide. Exercise is
a top stress reliever.
Does that convince you to take exercise very seriously? Did you
know that exercise is good for the mind as well as the body?
There are many other great reasons to exercise. You most likely
remember “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. What are
the two best sources of prevention of disease? 1) exercise 2) proper
nutrition. Exercise enhances functions of the heart, lungs, circulatory
system, bones and joints, digestive system, muscles, and can even
prevent some cancers.
 I must add that you should check with your doctor before you take
on any physical exercise program. Note that if you are confined to a
wheelchair, you might learn to do chair exercises. Any significant
movement, including stretching, is exercise.

Take Care of Your One and Only

Although we can have some body parts replaced, you have only
one whole body for all your life and should take good care of it. Why
bother going to see doctors for their advice and treatment (usually pills)
if you don’t take good care of your body physically with proper exercise
and nutrition. You know you will feel better with a regular exercise
program. You can feel better physically and mentally. Exercise improves
your mood, lowers depression, improves your self-esteem, and helps
you think better and faster. Concentration and memory improvement
are very important mental functions as a result of a regular exercise
program. It has also been proved to enhance sleep for a wake-up-
refreshed feeling. (Be sure to exercise several hours before bedtime.)
To achieve or maintain a healthy body, you must remain active.
As mentioned, Physical in the Body Unit consists of exercise,
nutrition, and health and self-care. So, now let’s explore some ways to
help you become a strong, resilient person.
Examples of Exercise
Following are examples of which you should choose which fits
you best.
4 Types of Exercise

Did you think exercise is running or walking and lifting

weights? It’s far more than that.
Following is some information about each of the four types
of exercise:
Balance
As you get older, your risks of falling increase. Balance exercises
do more than prevent falls. They strengthen your muscles. Tai chi and
ballet are great for balance. You can also stand on one leg then the
other or stand on your toes and reverse to stand on your heels. Try
standing with your eyes closed and increase your time just a little.
Stand close to something to hold on to in case you start to fall.

Endurance
These exercises are great for getting or staying healthy as well as
losing or maintaining proper weight. They are great for the heart and
lungs. Added benefits include strengthening your bones and joints. Did
you know that endurance exercises such as jogging or power walking
aid in helping your brain to focus? More is discussed this course.
Examples include running or walking, biking, swimming, and sports. You
can also have fun and increase your endurance with dancing!
Flexibility
Did you think exercise is running or walking and lifting weights?
It’s far more than that. Once I got some ropes and cords to exercise. At
first I thought that it was not needed. Later I realized the benefits of
stretching. As an added piece of information, stretching before bedtime
is helpful to relax your muscles and help you sleep.
Stretching (flexibility) exercises give you better range of motion
which strengthens your muscles. This loosens tenseness in your body
and helps to lessen pain reactions during injuries. These exercises also
give your muscles more strength to do other exercises.
Flexibility bands are inexpensive and can-do wonders for your
arms and legs.
Strength
Weight loss or maintenance can also be achieved with the
assistance of strength exercises and endurance exercises.
Cardiovascular health is also better maintained. You can also achieve a
better attitude and confidence with strength-training exercises. Lifting
weights, push-ups, sit-ups, and squats are good strength exercises.
Another classification – Aerobic and Anerobic
Exercises are also categorized as
aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic means
with oxygen. These exercises increase
the heart rate and breathing but still
allow you to function for more than a
few minutes. Examples of aerobic
exercises include swimming, running
and power walking, hiking, dancing,
kickboxing, cycling, and use of cardio
machines.

Anaerobic means without oxygen.

These exercises do not have a goal of
endurance but are designed for strength
and/or speed and for building muscle mass.
Helpful cardio exercises consist of short,
high-intensity movements that quickly cut
short your breath. Examples of anaerobic
exercises include heavy weight training and
sprinting. Isometrics (a method of tensing
muscles against other muscles) is also a
good anerobic workout.
A shortcut
I found a quick way to work in all four
types of exercise using an air walker. I asked
a physical therapist for an opinion. He stated
that it was alright. However, I did not
mention the balancing part because I know
that is risky. Read on and make your decisions.
Strength and Flexibility:
For a warmup, I step on the pedals and pull hard at the top
of the handlebars and count the seconds, gradually increasing
them each day or week. As I pull hard on the handles, my legs
extend and s-t-r-e-t-c-h. Next I push hard at the top of the
handles. My legs get a second stretching, and I feel it in my
core. Next I repeat the procedure on the lower part of the
handles (just above the sidebar). That uses a different set of
muscles. For a finale, I pull and push hard on the sidebar. My
arms stay bent as I do not currently have the strength push
hard enough to push my body outwards (yet). I feel these
exercises working on my core was well as my arms and legs.

Endurance:
That’s easy to understand as I gradually increase the time I
pedal or “walk on air”. Ask your doctor how often you should
take breaks.
Balance:
You can start by placing your hands near the side or back
rails as you walk. You may learn to place them farther away. If
you dare to be brave, you can let go of the handles and pump
your arms as if you are running. Be careful. If you doubt your
balance skills, don’t try it. There are other ways to increase your
balance.
Am I saying that’s all you need to do for your exercise
regime? As there are tons of ways to exercise, use your own
judgment. The main point is to keep moving. You can include
some stretching while sitting on the couch or at the office. It’s
all your choice. Just do what you can and …. Be strong!
General Types of Exercise
Dancing Alone
Exercise can be fun! Any
significant movement is considered
exercise. Crank up your radio, put your
headphones on, and dance, dance,
dance! An option is to omit the
headphones and invite others to dance
with you.
Do you want to make this into a
small party? Perhaps your family is
enough. You might prefer friends
and/or neighbors. Just keep moving
even by yourself!
Dancing with someone
Can you do the Macarena or
Electric Slide? You might learn other
dance routines. You can exercise at
home. You can even purchase some
DVD's and exercise in your living room.
Do your exercises as a family. This
is easy with the DVD’s.
Bridge the generation gap. Show
the young'uns how you did it back in
your days. Be fair. Let the younger
generation show you their moves.
ENJOY!

Not only is it good to get your family involved, you should

feel proud of your children when they exercise with you.
Hopefully, they will make this a lifetime habit to pass on to
future generations.
Gym vs home exercise

You can go to the gym and

get some supervision, or you can
exercise at home. You might be
the type for Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi,
Zumba, or Weight Loss Classes.
You might walk your neighbor’s
dog. Or, you might get your own
dog and you and your neighbor
can walk your dogs together.
Sports
Find your sport. There are
numerous types of sports activities for
people of all ages and fitness levels. If
you are young and healthy, you might
join a team or league. Formal and
informal sports are great to reduce
stress. You can enjoy the competition
as well as get a good workout.
Teamwork is great for stress relief as you are a part of
something with others.
Common activities include volleyball, basketball, and
bowling. Don't forget a good tennis workout. An easier sport
may be a backyard game of badminton or indoor ping-pong
matches.
I must advise that you check with your doctor before
starting any exercise program.
Self-defense classes
A good option is to take
some self-defense classes. Not
only are you getting a great
physical workout, but you are
reducing stress and building self-
confidence.
Walking
Walk to work if you can. If you
can’t, then park your car a few blocks
from the entrance. Do the same for
other activities.
Avoid the elevator. Take the stairs.
I remember my doctor used to ride his
bicycle to work. He is now in his
seventies. He is the one who gave me
the original idea for Total Living
Concepts. Hello, Greenbrier!
Chair exercises
If you are limited, chair exercises
may be sufficient. The object is to
move and strengthen whatever you
can. Stretching is great for flexibility
and range of motion, improving blood
circulation, and decreasing joint pain
and stiffness. Plus, you can still get a
good cardio workout from a chair.
Pump your arms and legs and twist
your waist. You’ll find this can be a
great workout!
Exercise benefits
1. Exercise is a very good way for you to become strong. An
obvious benefit is increased energy and stamina.
2. Regular exercise is one of the two major methods of disease
prevention. The other major method is proper nutrition. They
are both essential for healthy living. Exercise can prevent and
delay Type 2 diabetes and other diseases.
3. Exercise is good for both the body and the mind. One of the
main reasons for exercise is to relieve stress. Who doesn’t need
that?
4. Exercise improves your mood, lowers depression, improves
your self-esteem and confidence, and helps you think better
and faster.
5. Concentration and memory improvement are very important
mental functions as a result of a regular exercise program.
6. It has also been proved to enhance sleep for an enhanced
wake-up-refreshed feeling.
7. Light stretching before bedtime relaxes the muscles and
enhances sleep. Do any vigorous exercises several hours before
bedtime.
Recap and Addendum
Teachers fail to impress their students
to continue to exercise all their lives. You
grade yourself based upon how you feel.
You most likely remember “An ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure”. What
are the two best sources of prevention of
disease? -- 1) exercise 2) proper nutrition.
The most commonly-known exercise
benefits are strength, energy and endurance,
weight loss, stress relief, and better chances of living longer. This barely
scratches the surface of exercise benefits, including enhancing functions
of the heart, lungs, circulatory system, bones and joints, digestive
system, muscles, and can even prevent some cancers. Exercise can also
reduce compounding one type of health problem for multiple
problems. For example, stress, considered as America’s number one
health problem, can affect the brain, heart, lungs, digestive system,
muscles, and a myriad of other problems. Relieving stress helps prevent
multiple physical and psychological problems.
You know you must take care of your one and only body. Although
we can have some body parts replaced, we have only one body for our
whole lives.
Why bother going to see doctors for their advice and treatment
(usually pills) if you don’t take good care of your body physically with
proper exercise and nutrition? You know you will feel better with a
regular exercise program. The main point is that you can feel better
both physically and mentally.
You don’t need expensive equipment to exercise. Dancing, walking
or jogging, and exercising with a video can get you great cardio exercise.
 The main point I wish to get across is for you to understand the
importance of being strong with exercise in order to be strong in many
other aspects of your life. Exercise is an all-around process that
provides many facets of our wellbeing. Even when we get old, we
should move as much as we can, even if its only stretching and light
movements.
It seems that most people think of exercise as jogging or walking.
A few more add on weightlifting. That barely scratches the surface. You
know that you must actively participate by exercising in the four basic
types of exercise. Each type has specific functions, and some of them
provide benefits that overlap in more than one type.
Why do some people hate it while others love it? Who knows?
The main point is that I want to help motivate those who don’t like it to
just do it anyway. It will be worth it!
It is a myth that you must have expensive equipment
Introduction
Have you been taught the basic food groups? Do
you follow the proportions as suggested by the
United States Department of Agriculture’s My
Plate?

I believe that if you truly understand the principles behind this,

you will practice good nutrition in proportions as suggested. You may
have heard you are what you eat.
How many people get diabetes due to eating too much sugar?
How many people get too much sodium (salt)? How many people are
overweight or even obese? Do you drink too much caffeinated drinks
such as coffee?
A great source of free information about nutrition is the United
States Department of Agriculture. You may already be familiar with My
Plate, formerly known as Food Guide Pyramid or My Pyramid. The
website for USDA contains very great information for the whole family
as related to what to eat and not to eat.
Fruits
As for nutrition, let’s start with fruits.
Bananas and oranges provide Serotonin which
is very helpful with maintaining mood balance.
Bananas are great for reducing depression
which causes a whole lot of stressful feelings.
Have you heard of a “Happiness Pill”? Bananas
are known to enhance happiness. Blueberries
are great for giving a calming effect.

Vegetables
My Plate recommends vegetables as the
largest consumption of the food groups. I can’t
list all the good reasons to focus on veggies as
your main source of food. I will mention a few
for your reference in case you are not yet
convinced of the values of vegetables. Broccoli
is a superfood that helps boost your immune
system. Think of it! It helps your body fight cancer. Since my body had
cancer once, I certainly eat broccoli and other cancer-fighting foods. If
you don’t like it, I suggest you try mixing fruits with your broccoli and
other vegetables.
Grains
One sentence says a lot: It’s the
magnesium in whole grains that helps reduce
anxiety. People who get a lot of dietary fiber
from whole grains may have good cholesterol
levels and less risk of heart disease and Type 2
diabetes.

Protein foods
These are great for the bones, muscles,
and blood. They help the functioning of the
nervous system. Seafood is a great source of
protein and is a great protection of the heart.

Dairy products
These are great for the bones and help
reduce osteoporosis. They are also good for
prevention of Type 2 diabetes and as well as
helping to keep blood pressure low.
Recap
The material has only touched a
little of the benefits of good nutrition to
help reduce stress levels and help give you
a healthy body. I highly recommend that
you follow the USDA’s My Plate. You may
want to do more research. Did you notice
that Dairy is illustrated to be consumed in
smaller portions?
The main point of this section on nutrition is to be certain to
balance your food intake. It is also important to avoid too much sugar
and salt, watch your cholesterol levels, and get regular blood tests to
determine if you have an adequate supply of vitamins, minerals, and
nutrients.
It would take a whole book to illustrate which foods contain
adequate nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins.
(A nutrient is a substance found in food that aids in specific body
functions such as growth and development of something of the body.)
If you follow the proper proportions of basic food groups. you
should be healthy.
So, take in the good and avoid the bad. You can do it! You should
feel great! Be strong!
General Introduction
Start the day with something positive
Getting out of bed is a major chore for some people. You must
motivate yourself by looking forward to something. Plan to spend some
time doing something you like, even if it’s only a few minutes. Plan on
going to a store and buying something special, even if a kitchen gadget.
Self-care could mean taking good care of your home as well as
yourself as it is your everyday environment. As for me, I tend to let the
little things to and build up clutter fast. So, one day I decided to play
the “Three Game” as soon as I got up. This means I made myself do
three things that would tidy up the place fast. It’s easy to find things as
my cats and I consistently knock off things off shelves and tables. So, if I
pick up three things each morning, I get a better attitude. I prefer to
pick up large things first to make the place look neater faster. Later I
got more motivated and spent fifteen minutes cleaning. Yes, this is
before I got ready for work. Soon afterwards, I learned to clean fifteen
minutes in the morning and fifteen minutes in the evening before
bedtime. What wonders this makes! If you have family, it may be great
to encourage them to help you. You may find that keeps the whole
household much cleaner with minimal effort.
Stay motivated to make your place tidy. This should boost your
general attitude. You can do it. Start your day off right and be strong!

More tips
Most of the material in this section is common sense. You
probably know most of it, but do you really follow what the material
suggests? I have included some information of which you may not know
to help influence you to follow through.

Multitasking
Do more than one thing when you can. With so much to do in
today’s world, you cannot do everything you want. Doing two things at
once helps. For example, you may decide to spend some time in the
sun. While you are there, you may try a few exercises and/or put in
some self-talk or affirmations. You may try self-talk or affirmations
while showering or bathing. Think of other ways you can do more than
one thing at once.
If you have to stand in a long line waiting for something, use that
time to think and act positively. Yes, you may even talk with a stranger.
Sure, that counts! That’s socializing. You might even exchange a good
joke. Even griping (venting) sometimes helps. Just don’t be too
negative.
Below are some examples. Discover your own ways.
Television time
Take advantage of tv time by doing something else when
watching a show.
Exercise while you enjoy a tv show
Knit or do some craft
Write a letter
Enjoy some social time by inviting others to watch a movie
Learn something by watching educational programming

Do things during tv commercials

Prepare a to do list
Set up a calendar
Journal
Pick up, move, or dust items

Walking
Walking while chanting or thinking affirmations or self-talk.
Walking with a friend (exercise with social time)
Walking your dog (exercise with time to be with your pet)

Waiting
Waiting in line or for a bus – affirmations or self-talk
Waiting for a bus – do light exercise such as stretches
Waiting in a doctor’s office - light exercises, affirmations or
self-talk

You can improvise these tips the way you want. You may want to
“think” your affirmations or self-talk in public.
Cleanliness
Be clean and avoid germs
To stay healthy both physical and mentally, it is extremely
important to keep your whole body clean. Be careful what you touch
and wash your hands often. To put this bluntly, I cringe when I see
people walk out of a restroom without washing their hands and eating
without washing them. I bet they don’t wash their hands before
cooking either. E-coli and salmonella outbreaks occur every day. One
outbreak can make you sick for several days. Why take the chance?
If you touch elevator
buttons, doorknobs, and other
items that are touched daily by a
lot of people, don’t touch your
face area until you wash your
hands well. The same goes for
handshaking. Hand sanitizer may
help but does not replace
washing.
So, some people may laugh
at you or get angry if you say
anything to them about this. You
must do what you need to do and may not need to say anything to
them. Take care of yourself! Be strong!
Other hygiene tips
Cleanliness gives confidence. Do you remember “Cookie”. Does
the song “Cookie, Cookie, Lend Me Your Comb” mean anything? He and
Fonzie may have overextended the “perfectionism”, but they had
confidence. (Yeah, some of you may not remember Cookie and Fonzie.
They were two tv characters who didn’t want a single hair out of place.)
Some tips to remember:
Brush your teeth at least once each day.
Shower or bathe often and be sure to keep your feet
clean.
Don’t forget to wash your hair. Don’t over-do it as it
may cause damage to it.
Sleep – One of the most important body
functions
Intro to sleep:
In addition to exercise and good
nutrition, it is essential to maintain a good
balance of rest and sleep. Fatigue causes
irritability, slowed reactions and lower
personal production, and bad judgment
and with impaired thinking.

Complications of lack of proper sleep:

Lack of sleep causes several problems to your body and mind. Below
are some of the results:
Physical –
Slowed reactions
Fatigue
Linked to high blood pressure, heart problems, and
diabetes
Mental and Emotional –
Depression
Forgetfulness
Lack of concentration and alertness
Bad judgment, and impaired thinking skills,
Irritability

You should understand the benefits and getting the sleep you need
to be strong.
Causes of sleeplessness:
Sleeplessness, also known as insomnia, can cause a lot of stress. Or
is it that a lot of stress can cause sleeplessness? Ah, guess what. This
goes both ways. Sometimes the cure is simple.

It could be a cause of the environment

1. Too much noise or too quiet
2. Too much light or lack of it
As a person note, I remember lying awake and wondering why I
could not sleep. After lying there for about a half hour, I got up
and turned out the hall light, and I went right to sleep.
Sometimes people wear night masks to block out the light. I
tried it but kept pulling it off. I suppose it takes time to adjust.
3. Uncomfortable temperature.
It may be an uncomfortable mattress or pillow.
Physical ailments often keep people awake.
Naps during the day can prevent sufficient sleep at night. People
can get their hours turned around to sleep more during the
daylight hours than at nighttime.
Medication can keep people awake as well as make them sleep
too long or too often. Ask your doctor to help you regulate taking
your pills to aid sleep at night.
Sleep disorders can be the culprit. A sleep study may become
beneficial. Don’t neglect this one. If you are known to snore
loudly, it is possible you have a sleep disorder. I know as I have
lately been diagnosed as having a sleep disorder, similar to sleep
apnea. I am going to follow up with a specialist very soon. I
wonder how my cuddly cats will cope with a noisy machine and a
mask on my face! I gotta do what I gotta do. (Actually, I was told
that they don’t make much noise anymore, but I will soon find
out.)
Did I forget something? No, I certainly did not forget that
sometimes stress keeps you awake. If you don’t get enough sleep,
you will be stressed. That compounds itself. If stress deprives you
of your sleep, you will get more stressed because you don’t get
enough sleep. What can you do? You had better find some ways to
ease your stress so you can sleep …. so you feel less stress…. so
you can sleep and feel less stress…. so, you can sleep …
Habits -- Form good habits to help you sleep:
Your body responds to habits. If you keep a routine before
bedtime, your body should let you fall asleep at a regular time.

Tips to help you sleep better:

Be certain to allow yourself enough time to sleep. Don't forget to
count time to get to sleep and bathroom breaks.
If possible, keep the same schedule on weekends. This includes
your evening mealtime, television time, recreation time, reading
time, bath time, and any other activities. Going to bed too early or
too late throws off your body’s response time.
Count your blessings.
1. Re-live moments of the day. Is there anything special that made
you happy? Try to think of at least ten moments that were
pleasant. You might have to dig deep. It may be even one smile
or friendly "Hi" from someone. You might even count that
nothing bad occurred as a blessing. It is important to start sleep
feeling good about the day so you can relax. May I also suggest
that you thank God for those moments?
2. You might even write a journal and list the best three for each
day. Review weekly or monthly. Perhaps every three or four
months, single out the very best moments. At the end of the
year, have an annual review. You can surely say that it truly was
a good year.
If you must listen to the news, try to listen early, perhaps soon
after your evening meal. Since a lot of the news is “bad news”, you
don’t want to go to bed shortly after hearing about it. Give
yourself time to adjust and focus on other things before heading
for the bed.
Read a little before bedtime or while in bed.
1. Note the key words "a little".
2. Be sure the reading material is interesting, humorous,
educational or informative, or even Spiritual lessons.
3. Also, I emphasize that the reading material is "light" reading
(not scary or too controversial).
As mentioned earlier in this course, comfort is important for
adequate sleep. Be sure to maintain a comfortable temperature,
desired lighting, and good noise level. If you find that noise is a
problem, you might get a diversion such as a running fan or listen
to “white noise”. You can download and play white noise audios
from the internet. If you don’t know what this means and have a
computer, look it up. If you don’t, then just try anything that
makes a steady sound to block out interfering noises. I once used
an air filter with the filter out. It was loud enough to block out
sounds of neighbors talking loud late at night.
Stretch a little before retiring for the night. This helps your body
relax and promotes more restful sleep.
Check with your doctor to see if you can get pain relief or comfort
from ailments that may keep you awake. Also, check with your
doctor about usage of medicines to help you relax and sleep at
night and stay alert during the day.
Be sure to have an active day.
Daily physical exertion can help you relax at bedtime. How else
can you rest if you sat on the couch all day? Rest from what?
Don't go to bed hungry. Eat a healthy supper.
Eat a "light snack" only if needed. Examples are one banana,
yogurt, cheese, baby carrots, turkey jerky, cantaloupe, and organic
instant oatmeal.
 Plan ahead. Rehearse your potential schedule for the next day.
Gather everything the previous night and put them all in one
place near the front door.
As you hit the bed, think ahead. Visualize something pleasant for
the upcoming day. When I attended college, I mentioned to an
instructor that I had trouble getting up. She asked, "What do you
have to get up for?" It surely wasn't for the first class, so I had to
think of something to hope for during the day.
Ask your doctor to help you with nighttime bathroom breaks to
help assure a restful sleep.

In closing this section, I must emphasize that you get your needed
sleep as this may help you with everything else in your life and “Be
strong!”
On the Medical Side
Introduction
Yes, you are busy and don’t know how to take the time to visit a
doctor. You must consider preparation, commute, waiting time (oh
sometimes so long), and commute back.
Since doctors specialize so much today, you may have to see
several of them. How important is it to you to visit a doctor?
My mother and my husband were very healthy – except for one
thing. My mother developed cancer. I wonder if she went to a doctor
earlier if she would have survived it. She only lived to the age of 52. My
husband was very healthy and lived a very active life – until he
developed COPD from smoking. He just did not want to quit.
Try to catch your “one thing” before it’s too late. Be strong!

I advise you to take the following material seriously. Don’t neglect

anything.
Time for a doctor visit
Since doctors specialize so
much today, you may need to see
several different doctors. Be sure to
follow up with them as well as your
regular physician.
At first sign of a potential
health problem, report details to
your doctor. You have a right to ask
for second opinions, but don’t
question everything as you can learn
to doubt everything and get
confused.

Sometimes you may find that no one believes you when you make
a medical complaint. Stand by what you believe. At times, no one can
find the actual cause of your pain or sickness. I experienced this. About
every six to eight weeks I had a mysterious rash, severe abdominal
pains, sudden diarrhea and severe weakness. I was diagnosed with a
few different things including food poisoning. Later I almost died from
peritonitis from a burst cyst. My cousin had similar problems as a
doctor finally found a large growth in her. As an added note, both of our
husbands ignored our complaints. After her serious operation, she said
to her husband, “Now do you believe I’m sick?”
Don’t neglect the needles
I cannot overemphasize the
importance of getting needed
vaccinations for prevention of
illnesses.
An ounce of prevention is
truly worth a pound of cure.
All family members should
get their vaccinations.
Check with your local
pharmacy to stay up to date with
all vaccinations.
I know there are many people who do not get a flu shot. They
think they are right because they got the flu after taking a shot.
According to the medical groups, a vaccine takes a while to
become effective. Therefore, exposure to the flu virus prior to the shot
or during vaccine maturation time will cause a person to get the flu
after the shot.
Also, there are some who are allergic to eggs and cannot take the
flu shots. They should be certain to keep away from crowds, be careful
what they touch, and wash their hands often.
Only one second chance with these
How stressed will you
be if you can’t bite into
some foods you like? Teeth
are made to break your food
into smaller portions to ease
digestion. After your baby
teeth are gone, you only get
one more set of teeth for
your entire life. So, you need
to take good care of them.
Sure, you may have the
option of dentures or implants if you can afford them. Do you
know how stressful the surgeries can be?
This one reveals a lot about you
It may be urgent to have
your eyes checked at least
once a year. Did you know
that your optometrist can tell
if you have had high blood
pressure? Oh, yes, I was quite
surprised that my eye doctor
told me I had it. High blood
pressure can affect our eyes.
Your optometrist can
detect other health problems
or diseases such as an autoimmune disorder, thyroid disease,
diabetes, and high cholesterol. A neck tumor or an aneurism
can be discovered. Skin cancer on the eyelid can be spotted.
This is extremely important as it can spread though the eye to
the brain. I started the late spring with every-day suntan time.
After researching and writing this information, I decided to limit
my sun time in the hot summer months. You notice I said I
limited my sun time? I still think it’s good to get some sun every
day. It’s the amount of exposure and the strength of the sun’s
rays that count.
Glaucoma should be detected early for treatment to
prevent blindness. General vision screenings do not detect it.
You may be afraid the doctor will tell you to wear glasses
or contacts. Today, many doctors recommend non-prescription
reading glasses for close-up vision. If you vision problems are
for distance, you may need to accept that you need glasses.
Helping your vision is important.
Protect your skin
It’s especially
important to protect your
face. In the hot summer
months, be sure to wear
sunglasses and a sunhat.
Don’t stay in the sun
very long during the hottest
times of the day.
You might like to use moisturizing facial cream at night.
Yes, that goes for men, too, but I don’t think many men will
admit to it.

Recap and Addendum

You know you must take good care of
your body. No one can do it for you. You
must be responsible enough to make the
effort to get regular checkups and follow
through with other appointments. Don’t
neglect your teeth and eyes.
It’s important to catch you “one thing”
before it’s too late.
You know you must take care of your body to “Be strong!”
Introduction
General Information
Similar to your body, you only have one mind for your entire life. You
must take good care of it, too. How can you do that? Read on ….
1. Exercise helps the mind. Yeah, I mentioned that earlier in the
Exercise section. Do you believe it? As your heart rate increases,
blood flow to your brain is increased. You also breathe faster
which pumps more oxygen into your bloodstream to the brain.
Exercise also helps you learn and remember. I’m skipping over the
technical aspects of this. It’s up to you to know that exercise helps
your mind; you don’t need to know how. If you are curious, you
can research details yourself.
2. Do not smoke or drink excessive alcoholic beverages. Nicotine
found in cigarettes can damage and kill brain cells and prevent the
formation of new ones. Beyond moderate alcohol consumption,
alcohol can cause a person to black out and have short-term
memory problems.
3. Challenge your brain. Are you a genius? You don’t have to be one
to exercise your brain. Even playing a computer game can benefit
your brain in many ways. Since various people have different skill
levels, it’s up to you to decide how much challenge to give your
brain. Are you a checkers person or a chess person? Decide and
follow through. Don’t over-do it as your brain tires as your body
does.
 4. Vary your learning topics. You need some freshness.
Learn from television. Do you like game shows? Are you
right along there competing with the participants? You can’t
know everything, but be content with trying. I remember
talking with a retarded friend about Cinco Mayo. I figured it
meant the fifth of May from some foreign words that fit in,
but I thought since it seems to be Spanish, it was about
Spain. The man informed me it was for Mexican freedom.
So, even though I try to value myself as having ample
knowledge, the retarded man knew more than I did.

You might like informative shows as shown on TV such as

Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, Animal Planet,
and History Channel.

Do you understand the difference between mental

(thoughts) and emotions or feelings?
Thoughts vs. Feelings
If you observe something, you are thinking about it. If you fear it
you have a feeling.
If you think someone did something wrong, you have a belief
which is a thought. If you are angry (mad) because of what he did,
you are experiencing an emotion.
If you are consider attending an event, you are thinking about it. If
you are fearful or worried that something will go wrong, you are
experience feelings of anxiety. On the other hand, if you are
looking forward to it, you might experience some exhilarating
feelings.
 We think in different terms. When we see something, we are aware
of it (cognitive observation). We may want to analyze how it works (the
analytical process). We understand how it works or we are confused
how it works. When we become frustrated because we don’t
understand how it works, we are getting into feelings. Do you see it?
Not all feelings are bad. Exhilaration, joy, and serenity are good
emotions. Fear, anger, worry, and depression, the opposite of happy,
are bad emotions. However, these emotions are normal if kept under
control.
The three basic emotions are mad, sad, and glad. Each is broken
down into categories and sub-categories that include more than 40
different types.
We will explore a few of the basic emotions that you may want to
improve on to be strong.
Introduction:
Why do we have so many differences of opinions? No two people
think alike. We observe, analyze, and judge things in different ways.
Sometimes the winner of a prize fight is arrived from the majority vote.
Sometimes you think you have a great idea. After mentioning it to
friends, you may decide to abandon the idea. Should you have done so?
Maybe not. Your friends didn’t have all the information and could not
draw a reasonable conclusion.
How about Elvis being told that he should go back to truck
driving? Was the person who judged him right? He certainly was not
right if the thought was whether Elvis had talent or appeal to
audiences.
 Decision-making is a very important part of the thinking process.
You must gather as many pertinent facts first. Sometimes, you don’t
have enough info and must make a guess.
Perspectives change responses.
❖ If someone is trying to decide if the flower arrangement is
centered in front of a podium and is looking from one side,
the assumption may not be correct.
❖ If you put an object in front of someone and ask what color
it is, can the person always be correct? No! It easily could
have another color on the other side.
❖ Changes may occur between the time one person observes
something and another person sees the same thing.
Acceptance
Acceptance is a large part of the
Mental Category. This also corresponds
to the Personal Category. Have you ever
felt like pulling out your hair even
though you knew it wouldn’t solve
anything? Maybe you have done it.
Sometimes life gives you such turmoil
and frustration that you don’t know
what you can do to feel better.

When you were in school, were

grades important to you? Did you panic
when you made a low grade? Did you wonder why someone griped
about a B grade? You were comparing yourself with someone else.
Maybe you are one who griped about a B grade.
Did you wonder how some kids were popular? Did you feel like
you didn’t fit in?

Were you a late bloomer? No one expected you to succeed, but

you have achieved a lot.
More to consider (think about)
❖ Maybe you were expected to do something important, and you
believe you haven’t done anything important.
Does any of that really matter? You are you –
Accept yourself!
❖ Do you feel like a loser?
Does it seem no matter what you try or how hard you try, you cannot
win?

❖ Life is hard.
Look to the future.
Accept yourself!
❖ Do you feel as though people misjudge you or treat you mean
without any good reason? No matter how much you try to win
their favor, you know it’s useless.
It’s hard to get over how people treat you …. rather mistreat you.
What can you do about it? You most likely cannot change it, so go on
and accept it. You can go on without their approval.
Accept yourself.
❖ Can’t get the date you want?
So, what? You’ll find someone better.
Accept yourself!
❖ Got married and divorced?
Feel like a failure? So, what?
Accept yourself!
❖ Got fired from your job?
So, what?
You’ll find another one.
Accept yourself!
A good example:
I knew a man who quit drinking for 40 years. Great, right? After
that, he drank too much ONE TIME! Does that make him a failure? It
does not …. if he looks at it in the right frame of mind. He had two
choices: 1) He could focus on the fact that he failed, thus allowing him
to fail again, or 2) He could accept the fact the he is NOT perfect and
forgive himself. He should not start counting the years again but
continue counting FROM the 40 with only ONE mistake!
❖ You’re bound to find someone who annoys you more than others.
Often it is because he or she repeats the same things that
consistently annoy you. You often can’t change the behaviors of
others. So, what can you do? Unless it hurts someone else and
you have authority to correct the behavior of others, you need to
accept others as they are.

Yes, that is difficult sometimes. A second option is to avoid that

person. However, you will need to learn to accept others as they
are because there will always be someone who will annoy you.
Are you perfect? Don’t expect others to do everything the way
you want.

So, saying it simply: When possible –

Accept others.
Life throws you a lot of curves
Forget about it…. How? If you focus your
mind on something else, your feelings can
diminish. Also, the next time a similar
situation occurs, remember how you
overcame the feelings. You did it before, and
you can do it again, and again, and again.
Accept that life throws you lot of curves.
Maybe you can realistically foresee a serious
problem in your near future. Maybe a serious
problem suddenly arises without warning.
Even if you made mistakes that caused your problems or
setbacks, remember you can pick yourself up again. When you’re very
upset with what you think is for a good reason, accept the facts that
you are upset and that it is very normal to be upset with the situation.
Don’t hold in all those feelings. Allow yourself to be in a bad mood for a
short while. Go with the flow but don’t get out of control. Watch your
language, especially if you are in public. Don’t confront anyone.
Tomorrow is another day. Be strong!
Being Grateful
Is gratitude a thought or feeling? I
won’t debate it However, I agree that
gratitude can empower a lot of positive
emotions for you and for the one you
appreciate. You can speak it, express it, repay
it, and thank God for good things.
I read a story about a man who told his
son to thank God that he lost one eye in an
accident. The son did not understand. The father explained that he
should be grateful that he didn’t lose both eyes.
You might try writing a gratitude journal and review it every week
or month. At the end of the year, make a list of the best events that
occurred. You should find it truly was a good year (even with setbacks).
Focus on the goodness. Be strong!
Emotions aka Feelings

Introduction to Emotions:
It is impossible to discuss all emotions and all helpful hints to
overcome the negative ones. However, a few emotions are mentioned
with a few tips that may help you to be strong!
Forgiveness
Sometimes forgiving may
seem to be impossible. Keep in
mind that time heals. You are not
perfect so don’t expect others to
be perfect. Let go of the past and
forgive.
You will survive the effects
someone made on you? Ask
yourself if this will matter ten years from now? Then ask if it will matter
five years, one year, one month, even one day. Consider that even if the
situation may affect you for many years to come and you can survive it,
why not let it go?. You have the rest of your life to live. So, press onward
and be strong!

Mend broken relationships:

Perhaps it has been so long that you both forgot what split you
apart. The benefits of rekindling this relationship may prove to be one
of the best things you have ever done.
However, think before you take this action. If you have been apart
for a long time, most likely both of you have changed. With less
commonalities, you may not get along like before. Also consider why
you split. Will the same thing be likely to reoccur? That doesn’t mean
you should not forgive. Why hold grudges? Perhaps setting the record
clear will be enough to make you stronger to accept flaws of your
current and future friends – and yourself.
Learn from your own mistakes.
Have you made a serious mistake in your past but got over it? Do
you know what caused you to let it go? So, if you can let go of your
mistakes, why not view other people’s cruelty as mistakes.
Have you excused yourself because you were sick or didn’t know
what you did to a person would be taken so seriously? Do you have any
other excuses for yourself? If you do, why can’t you excuse others?

Forgive yourself.
You are not perfect. Learn and next time, do things differently.

Live your life to the fullest by letting go of the negative feelings

from the past. You may apply what you learned from the past, but don’t
hold on to harsh feelings. Be strong!
Worry
Are you worried about
something? Don’t exaggerate the
outcomes. It may not be as bad as
you think. Even if it is as bad or even
worse than you thought, remember
that tomorrow is another day.
Compare your problem with your
credit score. You may think it looks
bad if you missed one payment today.
So, if you keep the rest of the
payments up, several months down the road, the one-time blunder will
not look so bad. Soon it will not affect your score much at all. Give it
time.
You surely noticed the two people in the photo? Both may
experience a lot of emotions such as worry about who is going to take
the blame, will the insurance payment raise, how will they get
transportation to and from work, and many other things. Whatever
happens – life goes on!
Perhaps the photo illustrates what you think may happen. If you
are in a safe vehicle with a safe driver, stop worrying! The odds are that
you will be alright.
Did you know that worry can be a habit? Did you know that you
can “inherit” worry? If your parents, spouse, or friends worry, you may
get the tendency to do the same.
Think of a few times that you worried, but things turned out to be
ok. So, does that tell you anything? Maybe you tend to worry because
you believe if you envision only good things, you will find
disappointment. So, if you’re the worrying type, you might try to
foresee something bad …. for a few moments! That might prepare you a
little if something bad happens. For example, if someone who love is
hospitalized from an accident, you may think the worst. Just keep the
good thoughts, too. Don’t be superstitious! What you think will not
make the reality either bad or good.
Let’s look at it from another perspective. If you worry about the
worst and it happens the way you expected, you will feel sad. So, if you
think the best but the worst still occurs, you still have to face the reality
either way. On the other hand, if it is a good ending, you wasted time
thinking bad thoughts. So, why not take the optimistic side?
Did you know that worry causes physical and psychological
symptoms that can harm your body? It’s like stress as mentioned in the
introduction.
Stop worrying! Start today! Be strong!
Disappointment:
You don’t always get what you want. Everyone knows that, but do
you get what you need? You should appreciate what you have.
I lost my home and tried to sue the person who was directly
responsible. He died, so I sued the estate of a value of over
$500,000. I had a lot of personal problems at that time, including
cancer. I did not know how to get a lawyer, so I tried by myself. I
figured the law enforcement officers were enough to prove my
case, but the judge called their report and testimony as hearsay. I
was lost from the very first witness and knew I had no chance.
So, was I disappointed? What do you think!!! I hate this
small apartment I live in, but at least it seems to be very safe. So, I
try to make the best of it.
Did I gain anything from losing my court case? I surely did! I
realized that I can calmly get in front of other people and speak. I
focus on that to boost my confidence.
You, too, can accentuate the positives and eliminate the negatives!
(More on that will be discussed in the Finale.)
Be strong!
Anger
What good does it do to get angry? -- I
mean to get furious? Yes, anger is a normal
emotion but must be controlled.
Don’t “copycat”. Anger, as well as
worry, can be “inherited”. Just because
someone else gets angry doesn’t mean you
have to do the same.
Disappointment is a major cause of anger. So, don’t expect too
much. Accept the letdowns as a part of life. Bounce back.
Loss is another major cause of anger. Maybe you lost your home.
You didn’t lose your life, so go on living.
People are not predictable, no matter how well you know them.
Don’t expect them to act or react in a certain way. Accept them as they
are.
Accept anger as a part of life, but don’t overreact. As with other
situations, life goes on. You must learn to adjust.
Fight back in controlled ways. Try methods to control yourself.
You know the traditional count to ten method. Have you tried mentally
visiting your favorite place (fictional or real)? How about taking a
bubble bath or lying down with your favorite cuddly pet? Exercise is
one of the best ways to control your anger!
You can do it! Be strong!
Fear
You can’t hide your life away. Why are
some people so fearless while others fear
almost everything? Some get that
adrenaline rush by parachuting out of a
plane while others always stay on the
ground all their lives. The main concern is
the worry that something will go wrong and
cause accidents that will severely hurt or even kill someone.
I almost went skydiving once. Well, at least I was going to get on a
plane and watch the others. It was at an airport that was previously
closed to skydivers due to a fatal accident when the man’s chute did
not open. Later the airport allowed skydivers back. I was told that now
they have a Sentinel backup chute that will open even if I don’t open
the first chute. So, I went to the airport. Uh Oh! The airport closed
them down again due to another accident. It was the skydiver’s fault.
He used a rectangular chute that picked up speed as he made turns. He
had so much fun making turns and made too many. He came down
hard and broke both legs and one arm!
So, what did I learn? I learned that I could face the possibility of
jumping. Truthfully, I don’t think I would have done it; but at least I
went to see what it was about.
The main point is that I faced it as much as I thought I could. I was
strong! You can be, too. Just do what you can and be content with that.
 There are so many types of fear that cannot be listed here. Where
do you fit in? Are you an introvert with social phobias and are so shy
that you are afraid to go out of the house? You must start with baby
steps. Find a friend to go somewhere in pubic with you. Gradually
increase your exposure to people. Continue with more steps. Be
strong!
You can learn to overcome other fears with gradually increasing
exposure. It may always be best to take an understanding friend with
you. Choose someone who won’t push you too fast but will encourage
you to do what you can.
All you need is knowledge and a cool head to get you through a
fearful or stressful situation. Be strong!
Depression:
It’s often difficult to pinpoint why you are
depressed. It may also take a while to “fix”.
Again, maybe you inherited some of it. Still, you
can overcome.
I asked a depressed man what was his worst
problem. He stated that he didn’t have any more
cigarettes. I understand that is a serious
dilemma as the addiction is a physical and
psychological need. However, he could work on
cutting back to what he could afford. Sure, that would take a lot of
effort, but it should be worth it. Sometimes you are responsible for
your problems. You should take positive action to help alleviate your
depression.
That same man was very upset because he found one flea on him.
He didn’t have any pets, so I guess he got one from the grass. I also
know a woman who threw a cat out because she found fleas in her
trailer. I regret that I did not take the cat to my home. He later was
killed on the main road. I got depressed. Anyway, back to the flea
problem. Neither of them took positive action to alleviate the problem.
They could have bought some flea spray for inside. Maybe he could
have sprayed his yard, too.
The main point is to take action to ease your problem. You win
two ways: 1) You minimize the problem and 2) you accomplished
something positive which aides in optimism. Therefore, sometimes the
answer is easy and the rewards are great.
That was a form of changing from a negative situation to a
positive situation. Form habits to find ways to make things better.
 Sometimes you just must face the fact that you are depressed for
a reason of which you cannot control. The death of a loved one is a
legitimate reason for depression. The key is to grieve normally. Do not
let it get you down too long.
How do you know what is too long? Use common sense. If you
find that you are not better after a reasonable period of time, you
should seek help. There are grief classes in most towns and general
counseling may help.
Why are you depressed? Do you really know? You may need
medicine.
Don’t put yourself down for feeling depressed. However, you
should be strong and responsible enough to take positive action to try
to alleviate your depression.
Happiness
We have explored some negative emotions.
Now let’s look on the positive side with a positive
emotion – happiness.
You don’t need to laugh and/or smile all the
time. On the other hand, being content is not really
happiness. Content is basically acceptance. Oh,
acceptance and being content is great but our
theme for this course is being resilient with a topic of being strong. This
goes beyond being content. We strive for that exhilarating experience
occasionally. We strive to be glad to be alive, wake up looking forward
to the upcoming day, enjoy moments in the day, and retire at night
feeling great and thankful for a blessed day.
Some people love going to a theme park. They get a super thrill
riding a roller coaster! The thrill wears off, but the memories can linger
on …. only to a point and then they want to re-charge.
Others don’t need that much excitement to be happy. They may
enjoy attending a concert, watching their kids or grandchildren star in a
play, or participating and perhaps winning a sports event.
The main point is you must find YOUR OWN happiness.
Perhaps you obtain happiness by accomplishing little things. What
happens when you finish cleaning out the garage? Exhilaration?
Possibly.
Consider other options such as:
Play music and dance
Stay up late with an old friend and talk over old times (once in a
great while – remember the sleep principles).
Go shopping and buy something for yourself.
Take a vacation. (As a special note, did you ever wonder why you
are so exhilarated at the beach, yet you are so glad to be back
home?)
Get yourself a pet. If you have a pet, take him/her somewhere,
even just for a ride in your vehicle.
Invite some friends over for some pizza, popcorn, or ice cream
and cake and watch a great movie together. Maybe better yet –
watch a movie at a movie theater.
Play bingo, ping-pong, croquet, miniature golf, or any challenging
game.
Take up a new hobby. You might try knitting, sewing clothes,
collecting something, woodworking …. endless possibilities.
Recap of Emotions:
It is normal to overreact to life’s
problems. However, you must control and
limit the negative reactions. It’s important
to try to find a way to make the situation
better.
You can allow yourself to feel bad
emotions for a short period of time. The
main goal is to be certain you are in
control. Don’t over-react.
It may be essential to seek professional counselling and/or
medicines to overcome serious problems.
You need to find your own happiness formula. Keep in mind that
after a while your feel less joy with one of your formulas for happiness.
For example, at first you feel great about joining a club but the joy
wears off. You need to refresh. Perhaps you need to find another
activity.
The idea is to make the best as you can and try to get enough of
that “happiness” as possible for you.
Be strong!
Introduction to the Spiritual Category
Not everyone agrees what is important for Spirituality. I am
certain you will agree that most religions emphasize being good. While
we may thrive to do right, we fail many times. There is so much I would
like to write about this topic, but my audience varies so I have to tip-toe
around some issues. If you don’t like this topic or anything I write here,
you don’t have to agree or do everything I write.
Do you believe in God? I certainly hope you do.
To those who embrace their God, I have listed a few lessons that
should help you stay strong with your God.
Service to God
What does it mean to serve God? Do you think it is being good?
What other requirements are necessary to serve God?
Let’s explore some duties to serve God.

Lesson 1: Rely on God for everything

This is a super-great way to handle
your stressors:
Prayer is always the first answer. You
may not always get what you want.
However, God can help you get through
your bad experiences.

Lesson 2: Thank God for all things

Thank God for good things.
Thank God for all things.
Remember the story of a man who told
his son to thank God for losing one eye.
Relate something you lost but you
should be grateful you did not lose more.
Think a moment. For many of you, it won’t
take long to ponder this one.
 I have one bad leg. Many times, I am pressured by others to get an
operation. I put it off again and again. I commented to some people
that if that is all I have to complain about, I am blessed.

Later, I got cancer. My attitude changed somewhat, but I am

grateful I got through it.

Consider a gratitude journal as mentioned in the Gratitude sector.

You may consider this as a blessings record.
Keep up the gratitude attitude for special blessings, even little
ones and be happy and strong!

Lesson 3: Have faith.

What good is prayer without
believing you will be heard? Sometimes
you may expect to get more or a different
result. Accept what is. Hey, “accept what
is” …. Don’t those words seem familiar?
Throw “Doubt” OUT! That says a lot in
just three words.
 Lesson 4: Study God’s Word
Study God's word to draw closer.
Find one or more people to share your faith.
Be careful. This controversial topic can cause
friction with others. (stress). Enjoy what you
share and go on with the differences.

Some of my friends and I regularly

participated in a dinner at a local church. I
noticed that each of us is part of a different
denomination. We differ on very controversial
topics. Yet, we accept each other as we are.

Lesson 5: Regularly visit your place of

worship
Don't neglect regular visits to your
places of worship. This gets you in a good
habit of spending time with God. This is the
time to leave your troubles behind and be
grateful and spend this time in worship.
Recap of Spiritual
I advise you to renew your strength
each day with and by your God. It’s great
to know there is someone bigger and
stronger is watching over you and care for
you.
The principles of the Spiritual
Category focus on the obvious word,
Spirit. So, what is Spirit or Spiritual? The
consensus is worshipping, serving a God,
and having a relationship with God. This means to be obedient. It is
important to stay in contact with your God through prayer. This helps
you in many ways with your journey through life on Earth.
If you pray to a God, you surely must believe that God is listening
to you and communicating. You must have faith that you will know
God’s will for your life, and you should listen and obey. You need to
thank God for everything – even what seems to be bad. It could have
been worse!
To know what God wants, you need to read and study God’s
Word. Sharing it with others helps strengthen your faith. Be sure to
take a day off each week to worship God. I believe in the traditional
mid-week services, too.
Conclusion, Recap Summary, and Final
Comments by the Author
Introduction
I have tried to include everything that should
help you get a good start to make your life better by
learning principles that make you strong. I cannot
write everything. You need to focus on the key words
that help you achieve what you can. You can do it!
I have included a brief recap with some extra info and some added
comments.

Five points to consider for getting strong!

1. Preparation – If possible, try to think of anything you can do to
be ready for the upcoming challenge. Remember life’s lessons
from previous experience and from others and utilize that
information.
2. Fighting back – When life throws a punch at you, you must fight
back. Don’t give in to emotions such as depression or anger,
but do what you can to “win”.
3. Adjustment – You may need to learn to adapt to a change.
4. Confidence to retry if possible – Sometimes you get a second
chance. Do your best and learn from the previous time.
5. Acceptance – After you have done everything you can, be
content with the results.
Accept yourself
1. Even famous people make serious blunders of which others
poke fun. They roll with the punches. We can, too!
2. Sometimes a person is known for blunders of a particular type.
However, sometimes that same person can make a come-back
and make good with the same type of situation.
A. You may relate that to a sport where you failed miserably
but one day you scored the winning point. That may have
been the only point you scored while on the team.
B. Perhaps you have had been failing in school, but one great
day you scored 100% on a test.

Perspectives
It’s not what others think of you that counts; it how you perceive
yourself that’s important. Think of the politicians. Any elected U.S.
president had a lot of votes against him. He was selected as the winner
of the primary, but the majority voted for others. He then had an
opponent in the final election of which he won the majority votes.
Think of how many voted against him again. So, the percentage of the
population that wanted him from the beginning is comparatively low.
No one agrees with everything an important politician does or
authorizes someone else to do.
Rick Nelson overcame many obstacles. Perhaps known as his
worst moment at Madison Square Garden, he came back to make the
biggest accomplishment, (Garden Party).
Play the math game
Maximize the positives and minimize the
negatives. You might relate that to
“Accentuate the positive; eliminate the
negative; latch on to the affirmative”. Do
you know that song? It was used on the
final Quantum Leap episode “Mirror
Image”. Perry Como recorded it twice.
Other recordings were made by Paul McCartney, Aretha Franklin, Barry
Manilow, Dean Martin (with Leslie Uggums), Bing Crosby, and Clint
Eastwood. Freeform (formerly The Family Channel) used a version of
the song as part of their overall positive, family image.
Is that enough credits to convince you to look up that song? It put me in
a good mood. Ah, yes, some of you know the song! Good for you.
Getting back to the meaning of it – it’s up to you to keep the score on
the plus side. If two bad things happened to you today, count the good
things. Surely, they outnumber the bad things. You may need to look
deep sometimes.
If you are down, do something that gets you into a good mood.
Some people keep a mental math score with friends and associates. As
long as the positives outweigh the negatives, the friendship continues.
You might consider giving them a handicap score to start.
Don’t count one for one; give higher credit for outstanding things. For
example, if someone owes you money and doesn’t pay any of it back,
that’s clearly a negative thing. If you don’t need the money that badly,
and the friend probably doesn’t have it, you can overlook it if that
friend does something outstanding for you. For example, when your car
broke down 100+ miles out of town and your friend drove there to help
you. That should far outweigh the debt or other annoying occurrences.
It may not be good for you to keep a mental score with friends or even
with your life. You may choose to forget the mental score and perk
yourself up with something positive.
Consider the gratitude or blessings journal as mentioned in the Spiritual
Category. This is keeping track only of the positives.
Stay positive and be strong!

Example:
When I was working on a project similar to this one. I felt great. A
friend of mine was in a grouchy mood. She seemed as if she was
purposely trying to annoy me. I had so much “positive” that it did not
affect me.
Make life a game
Have you thought about how one decision affects
the rest of your life? Have you also thought about
the endless possibilities that could occur after that
one decision was made and acted upon? For
example, you decided not to marry your high-
school sweetheart. You will never know what
would have happed to your life it you did. Later you did marry and had
two children. What happens if you and your spouse move to another
location a thousand miles from your home? Think; you meet new
people, have new friends, a new job or career, a new home in a new
town.
You can’t be Sam Beckett (Quantum Leap) and go back in time and
change things. Some decisions are final. Making decisions is a game.
However, you don’t always know if you win or lose as you can only take
one action.
When confronted with a challenge, think hard about how your
decisions can affect the rest of your life, as well as others.
Learn to make good decisions and accept the outcomes.
Also, face your fears as a game. Face money problems as a game. Face
marital problems as a game. Face everything as a game. Aim to win and
accept your losses. Be strong!
Love yourself!
This goes way beyond acceptance.
Really be glad you are you! You may want
to write down a list of your good qualities.
Research on the internet if you need to
do so. If you truly believe you love
yourself, you are super blessed. Even so,
you should continue to improve yourself.
Also, don’t expect perfection.

Closing comments
I can sum up the entire eBook/course with two words. You know what
they are: Be Strong!

I will add a little more for you.

Important thoughts to apply:
1. It’s not what happens to you that counts; it’s how you react!
2. You can accept some of your negative emotions if you control
the extent of them.
3. Sometimes a cool head and knowledge are what you need
instead of fear.
4. Set goals to take care of yourself. Do what you must do and do
what you like.
5. Do you remember the “secret word”? Remember it and remind
yourself of it often.

There you have it! I hope your journey makes you STRONG!