EDITOR IN CHIEFJoan Herrmann—ASSOCIATE EDITORLindsay Pearson—CREATIVE DIRECTORMatt Herrmann—GRAPHIC DESIGNERSChris GiordanoAndrea ValentieOliver Pane—CONTRIBUTORSGuy FinleyLorie Gardner, RN, NBC-HWCGayle Gruenberg, CPO-CD, CVORick Hanson, PhDJoan HerrmannMark Hyman, MDLinda Mitchell, CPC
FROM THE EDITOR—We are experiencing things in life todaythat most have never encountered before.People are navigating a pandemic, financialuncertainty, employment insecurity, and ahost of family-related issues.When people do not receive the outcomethey desire, they experience a range ofemotions. Some get angry, protest, and blamethemselves or others. Some get despondent,feel hopeless, and sink into a depression.Many get entangled with woulda, coulda,shoulda type thoughts, that continue to fueltheir emotions. Whatever a person’s modusoperani, learning to accept what is andsurrender the notion of what was wanted, isvital in order to achieve peace of mind andheart.The Serenity prayer offers sage advice thatcan guide us through life:God, grant me the serenity to accept thethings I cannot change, courage to changethe things I can, and wisdom to know thedifference.While it is always important to do ourpart in enacting change, equally importantis garnering the wisdom to know whenacceptance is the only remaining action.Acting out, melting down, disparagingothers, doesn’t alter an outcome, it addsunnecessary pain and suffering.Things happen throughout the course ofour lives that we simply cannot control, nomatter how hard we try. All of the stress,pain, and resentment can be a heavyburden to bear.Here are a few ways we can mitigate anunwanted outcome and emerge strongerand happier:Untangle from negative thoughts. Askhow acting on emotion will help us livelife in the long run. Will an angry outburstsolve the problem or will it create a greaterdivide? Become aware of thoughts andstrive to change the internal narrative.Feel emotions. Don’t fight what is feltbecause those emotions will linger longer.Grieve the loss and then find ways to let itgo. Take part in activities that are calming– practice meditation or yoga, or take awalk. Breathe into the part of the bodywhere tension is felt and release it.Embrace the moment. Be teachable andask what can be learned from the situation.Can the opportunity enhance a personaltrait? Can patience, kindness, empathy orendurance be strengthened?As the Rolling Stones said, we can’talways get what we want. Learningto accept the unacceptable can be thepathway to peace.— Joan Herrmann