What Do YOU Do When You're at the End of Your Rope?

I go running into the night screaming my head off!

Well, not really, but that's what I have wanted to do. What I sometimes do sometimes do is go into a room alone for 5 minutes.........I admit I had to go in the closet once to escape the crew! I sit quietly and envision beautiful loving light all around me. Then I envision a calm household, or just whatever I need at the time(a healthy car maybe). It helps!

Oh yeah, and sometimes I take an herbal stress tab!

How do you deal when life hands you lemon, after lemon, after lemon? Thanks in advance...

Take a deep breath and make Lemonaid!!

I look for someone who has more lemons than I do. It makes me not feel so bad for myself.

I know what you mean. This winter my electricity failed when we were gone for a week. We returned to a broken pipe and a ruined floor. Then the washer took a dive, the AC in the suburban went out, then the AC and furnace in the house needed replaced. We suffered through several days of 90 degree heat before I buckled and took out a small loan. The mane water valve broke in the basement and the water to the house had to be shut off until we could get a plumber come fix it. The lawnmower finally died and then the bearings on the camper all needed replaced. The last straw was when my daughter brought me her broken glasses yesterday.
UNCLE!

All this can get frustrating, but I have to admit that life is still pretty good. I have six wonderful children. Four are alive and able to entertain me with all kinds of fun. Two are sending out prayers from heaven for me. I have a wonderful husband that has stuck with me for nearly 15 years. The roof isn't leaking. The AC is wonderful and hopefully by replacing the 30 year old furnace we will save money in the long run. My husband is employed and we have food on the table. This morning there was a beautiful sunrise and with any luck tomorrow there will be another O..

I go running or do some form of cardio exercise every day in order to relieve the physiological effects of the stress in my life. It's a productive way to deal with muscle tension, extra adrenaline, and also releases endorphins (the feel-good chemicals in the brain). At the very least, it gives me 30-75 minutes of time where I can think about anything or nothing but I can get lost in my own little world.

And, when life hands you lemons - stuff them in your bra to make your boobs look bigger!

I squeeze them hard!!!! ;-)

I smile and say I passed that test...bring on the next O.. as for the skunking sometimes the dogs just don't get it.

I am so sorry for all that has happened to you. I think sometimes these "spells" (for lack of a better word) are just tests we get to see how well we are doing. My mom always said that when you were at the end of your rope you tied a knot and hung on. I would ask what that meant and she said "surround yourself with lady friends, they will help you tie the knot". I never saw the value of that until my late 20's when things went haywire (husband lost job, kid born very sick, lost apartment....you know). If it weren't for the females in my life I would have gone crazy. They helped me set priorites, helped me with child care; helped in ways I could not have imagined. I always thought that my friends and I were like pioneers traveling in covered wagons. They would circle their wagons around me (like fighting of an attack to the wagon train) when I was in trouble to protect me and help me fight off all the bad things happening to me. Could they take the arrows for me? No... but they did help deflect some stinging blows. It has continued throughout my life, although players have changed and times have been tougher. Remember that even though a lemon is very sour, lemonade is sweet with the addition of sugar. Just be sure to give yourself that "sugar" frequently. This to shall pass.

i either put on a movie so i can lie down with the kids, or choose a book for each to read in quiet, and i read something. 30 min of no thinking helps me a lot.

still trying to figure that out myself. I am interested in the answers you get. :)
but on the bright side MY BOOBS SHOULD BE HUGE BY NOW. i went from being flat chested to huge boobs how cool. :)

So sorry you have so much to deal with at once. You know a bit about my history - I can handle the "big stuff" - but the little things that happen in close succession, drive me nutso. I humor myselft by singing, "I'm leaving on a jet plane..." Then I do something nice for myself - take a nap, read a book, go to the DQ by myself - don't tell my kids! :) By then I realize that things could be worse and that they will get better. Wishing you happiness and serenity for July!

Try to destress some how. Excercise, enjoy a meal that you have not had in a while. Get a sitter and have date night. go do something with the family that everyone will enjoy. Basically get out of reality for a while.

Good luck it will get better.

I think you are doing great. Sometimes that is how life is. Just remember it does not get worse before it is better. June is almost over. Just remain positive and remember god does not give you more than you can handle.

i had a year of that, starting with a house fire, illness, marital problems, money problems...it was a long year in '09. but you know what, we CAN handle it. i knew in the end we'd get through it. so far '10 has been much better :)

so when stuff happens, i cry, i take some alone time to feel sorry for myself (you are allowed that, and for our mental sanity i think we all need it sometimes), then i pick myself up, put on a happy (or at least calm) face, and keep on truckin. we women are good at that. hang in there mom. it will pass and good days will come again. think of your family and be there for them. you can do it.

I have O. word "LEXAPRO" .............THE HAPPY PILL!................
I'VE HAD THE LAST 2 YRS. LIKE THAT!
It started with my engine in my car catching on fire while my daughter and her friend and I driving down to road. Buying a NEW car 4 days later and the next week my husband losses his job!! From there..... OMG LETS JUST SAY the saying S*** ROLLS DOWN HILL "IS REALLY TRUE"
So yes I think we all have days, months or years of SCREAMING 'UNCLE'

Just say focused and or do what I did...... get yourself a "HAPPY PILL"

Mom, I would look at the other side and be thankful to God that you have a good husband with a job, a healthy child ( his illness is pretty common among young children and passes quickly), medical insurance, a place to live. 2 cars and good health of you and your spouse and many other great things in your life I bet. Like the earlier Mom said basically when life gives you lemons, count what you do have. Think of those suffering in the Gulf now whose livelihood is gone and the people of Haiti. You have it pretty darn good I think. With Blessings

<laughing> a couple ways:

1) Find what's funny. Almost everything in life, looked at in the right way are funny. Only 2 things in my experience don't have at least *something* funny about them. Even torture has it's lighter moments.

2) Figure out how it could be worse. As yet, I've yet to have my doomsdays come through. No matter how bad it gets, it can always be worse. So since it's not worse, things are looking up.

3) Figure out what my choices are. Even with a gun to my head, I've got choices. Doesn't mean they are the choices I want, but unless I'm unconscious, I'm not powerless. I've always got options.

4) Hedonism. Whatever it is, do something that makes me feel good. The worse things are, the more important happiness is.

5) Remember a documentary I watched a long time ago. It was interviewing people who jumped and lived. Each and every SINGLE O. of them said that the moment they let go the solution to all of their problems was crystal clear. They just hadn't figured it out yet. (aka permanant solution to a temporary problem)

6) My favorite piece of advice given me EVER: "Everything is temporary. The good, the bad, it's all temporary."

i have been having O. of those months also. trying to pack for moving, oldest(5 1/2 yrs old.) with CF who wants to be a pain,selling vehicle, no job for any O. in the house, oldest child has to have surgery and ANOTHER ct scan, youngest(2yrs old) has to see a heart specialist now. dealing with hiring a uhaul, moving into a apartment that is about 800 sq ft less than what we are used to. then going down the interstate yesterday a light comes on in my van telling me to check the tire pressure sensor thingy. i was 4 hrs from home going thru construction with both children. O. of which was being a little pain. :-) to add to all this my favorite aunt on my dad's side of the family needs a lung transplant and is on a waiting list but it will take awhile. my uncle keeps having heart attacks and is not expected to live pass this october.

as far as your dog goes i feel for you there. i really do. we lived on a farm growing up and that awful smell when our animals got sprayed was almost enough to make us sick. plus i have lived on a farm for the last 4 yrs now and i hate having to look outside before i even step foot outside. i like to just 1 cry. it makes it better for a little bit. 2. lock myself up some where with a book or depending on the day and time lock yourself in a room with the tv and watch your favorite show. 3. go for a nice LONG walk.

Sometimes it just seems like we have a run of bad luck But it comes to an end eventually. I get out my DVD of 'The Money Pit' (Tom Hanks & Shelly Long), break out the popcorn and laugh till I'm in tears. That movie cracks me up every time. And when it's over, my troubles just don't seem that big any more.

You will laugh about this, looking back on it. Just breathe honey! Lock yourself in your room with a book and a glass of wine... scratch that... lock yourself in the bathroom, take a nice long bath with a book and a glass of wine. This too shall pass!! Just hang in there... when things are overbearing, take a walk, just completely remove yourself from the situation and go clear your head for 30 minutes. I have days like that (today being O. of them, and it's only 9:35 am!!!!!) and I literally need to walk away. I usually call a girlfriend, vent for 5 or 10 minutes, and then I'm over it, and ready to face the challenges again head on. Keep your chin up! It WILL get better! Best wishes!

You don't have to look to far to find many in MUCH worse shape than you.

My husband was out of work for six months last year and in May of this year, lost his job again. Beyond that...the company says they have no $$ and can't pay him the expenses he incurred traveling for THEM for the last 2 months he was working for them. Then we had over $1,200 in car repair bills on our two cars.

YET...I watch as my friend's husband has been battling cancer for the last year...my brother and SIL have a daughter making such bad choices she may end up dead....another friend whose daughter has a terrible seizure disorder...and I realize...

things could be much worse. We're down but not out.

Times will turn around for you...they always do. Life isn't always easy...but you can learn much more in the hard times than in the easy ones.

When I'm stressed and just over life in general, I look for a series on Amazon tv on demand that I've never seen before. I'll stay in on a Saturday and watch a marthon of some show. Just kicking back feels good sometimes.