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Hi!
Life Lessons from the Hospital Bed
Soul Restoration Tip
**Special Opportunity**
Contact Info
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Welcome to this edition of The Bright Side! We have had so many new
subscribers in recent weeks -- welcome to all! Please share this with other like-minded folks and let's continue to grow. We currently have 1175 subscribers. Wow!

We also have over 100 subscribers to Growth, our daily motivational quote. If you'd like to sign up for that, go to
www.brightsidecoaching.com/subscribe.htm   and sign up, using the bottom box.
Thanks!

This issue of The Bright Side is a little longer than usual, but I do hope
you'll take the time to read it. On the surface it may seem to pertain to
those facing health challenges, but, in reality, there are important
reminders for everyone in this article. Whatever obstacles you are facing, the following will help you soar above them and get back to living a healthy (physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually) life.

Lastly, don't miss the **Special Opportunity** listed at the end of the
newsletter. We are now offering a comprehensive assessment for employees, managers, entrepreneurs and anyone else who wants to learn more about him/herself. This is a phenomenal tool at a great price! I hope you will take advantage of it!

With Love,
Beth
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Life Lessons from the Hospital Bed

American author and speaker, Wayne Dyer, is fond of saying, "We teach what we most need to learn." How true that is! This is the lesson I have learned (again!) over the course of the past 6 weeks. As a professional life coach, I often work on with clients on the concept of extreme self-care. Imagine my surprise to find I was going to have to make that mantra in my own life to be 'extreme-extreme self care!'

Life's funny that way, isn't it? I shouldn't have been surprised. I mean,
doctors sometimes get sick, ministers sometimes get divorces, policemen
sometimes break laws, and financial planners sometimes pay their bills late. So, is it any wonder that a coach might need to follow her own advice a little more closely? ;)

Here are some valuable life lessons I learned from my recent illness,
surgery, hospitalization, and recovery process:

1. Listen to your body. Listen always and listen intently. Do you eat on
the run after starvation has hit? Do you wait until your bladder is about to bust before going to the bathroom? Do you use caffeine to keep going? These are simple things we do to ourselves all the time that show us we are not listening to what our bodies are telling us.

Pay attention to those vague feelings too. Trust your instincts! I have
known for a long time that something was 'not quite right.' I did go to a
doctor a couple of times, but routine examinations could not pinpoint the
problem. My body kept telling me to look further, but without the
scientific/medical proof that something was amiss, I simply dropped the ball. If you think things are not as they should be, then keep looking -- don't wait for a crisis, because you'll get one.

2. Time is a gift. Being able to prepare is a present. Thankfully, I had a
couple of weeks to prepare for this surgery. I remember several years ago when my son was diagnosed as having Type I diabetes. There was no time to prepare and we were immediately thrown into 'crisis mode.' There is a vast difference and time can be your friend when you need to make adjustments.

Prior to my surgery, I had time and I used it wisely. I became informed and used my knowledge to prepare for the operation. Explore why life's stresses have manifested in your body. According to Dr. Christiane Northrup, MD, 85% of all medical problems are associated with unresolved tension and stress. Yikes! What are we doing to ourselves???

I did many things to learn and prepare, including reading, prayer,
meditation, yoga, journaling, and vitamin therapy -- all of which were
effective. If you or someone you know is preparing for a surgery, email me at Beth@BrightSideCoaching.com  with "Prepare for Surgery" in the subject line. I will make sure you are sent a copy of all the things I did to make things go smoother. It definitely helped!

3. Ask for support. Before, during and after surgery, be sure to ask for what you need. I believe in the power of prayer and I had people from all over the world and all types of faiths praying for my well-being. It's a wonderful feeling to have faith that you are in safe hands! Even when things are scary, and even if you can't pray yourself, there is something comforting about knowing others are intentionally lifting you in prayer and sending healing energy in your direction. Just ask.

People love to help. Accepting help from others is an unfamiliar feeling for most of us, but when we let ourselves, it really is wonderful. People like to be thanked too so be sure and make sure others know how much you appreciate their support of you. :)

4. Be open to new things. A friend of mine let me borrow me the use of a
sleep system as I recover. This is a wonderful gift! I had never heard of
these before and had no idea what I would need a sleep system for, especially since I already love my bed just that way it is. But sure enough, I am now sleeping on a mattress filled with magnets and I am covered by an infrared blanket. And I am sleeping darn well too! My recovery is much better than anticipated -- whether the sleep system has anything to do with this or not, I'm not knocking progress! I am glad I was open to trying this new (to me) idea!

5. Know who is on your team. It's a really frightening experience to know you are going to be 'put under' with anesthesia. Having others in charge of your consciousness and your physical body is relinquishing all your control. Shouldn't you know who is there and on your team while you are unconscious? Know your doctor, anesthesiologist (yes, you can insist on meeting him/her prior to surgery), and nurses. Know the people who care for you when you get back up into a room. Not only will you make an impression, you'll enlist them to work together on your behalf.

If panicked, remember to b-r-e-a-t-h-e. It helps! Deep breathing will calm you in any stressful situation. Conscious breathing is an essential part of good health! For a great article on how to reduce stress through conscious breathing see http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Bauer1.html

6. Keep that positive attitude. Positive attitudes are curatives and a
negative outlook on life is a health withdrawal. During my hospital stay, I
had two roommates. The first was Rita, about 50, who had undergone knee replacement surgery. I know a little about this surgery as my Dad had both his knees replaced simultaneously last year. It's a very tough operation and recovery. Even if she had not had surgery, though, Rita was simply not a happy person. She complained about everything she could possibly think of. She griped at her husband continually. Her face was one of discontent. I kept the curtain closed (and my headphones on, listening to my own soothing music) between us because whatever she "had", I did NOT want. When you already feel bad, negative energy is a festering wound that won't heal. I never had the heart to tell Rita that my Dad had both knees replaced in February and played 18 holes of golf in April. This is almost unheard of and he credits it to a positive attitude. Rita was looking at a long recovery.

Rita was well enough, according to the doctor, to leave the hospital and go to rehabilitation. That made way for my next roommate, Mrs. Harris. Betty is her first name and she arrived late one night. I stayed awake forever because there was so much energy around the arrival of Mrs. Harris. There were tons of people in and out talking with her, reassuring her and doting on her every word. In fact, as opposed to Rita, the medical personnel seemed incredibly eager to help out Mrs. Harris in any way they could. I finally met her in person the next morning and she was the most gracious and warm 87 year old lady I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Clearly, her children adored her, as did everyone else who came to visit. I had to laugh at myself laying in the next bed, looking like ... well, to be truthful, not a pretty site ... while this elderly lady was imploring her daughter to bring her cosmetics to her the next time she came to visit. She was a beautiful person and it had nothing to do with cosmetics! Attitude, in anything you undertake, is everything. Would you rather be a Rita or a Mrs. Harris?

7. Expect the unexpected. (Especially when you receive a hospital food tray! Just kidding!) In my case, what was actually going on in my body was not what I was diagnosed with prior to surgery. This was, indeed, welcome news! Sometimes that's not the case, though, and we have to regroup. I did, however, have those things that crop up from illness and you wish they wouldn't. I had an unexpected high fever and other slight complications. Knowing that trauma can bring forth the unexpected is a very smart thing to remember so that you are not discouraged.

8. With pain, there is healing. Ahhhh. So true of much in life, whether
physical or emotional, huh? I am not a particularly brave person (OK, some might call me a chicken!) and my morphine pump was my best friend for a couple of days. Then I had to let it go. It did the job of masking some of the pain, but then I needed to do it on my own to begin recovery. I sit here today writing this from my couch, recovering after a week with no pain medication now and feeling stronger each day. Yep, it still hurts like you-know-what, and I guess it might for a while since my doctor said this is at least a 4 week recovery, but each day brings new insights and strengths. I am grateful!

9. Push yourself a little each day in recovery. Always follow your doctors orders and act responsibly, of course! (Remember #1 above too -- listen to your body!) Within the guidelines you have been given, challenge yourself a little bit each day. I began with a walk to the mailbox a few days ago. The next day I added a nearby cul-de-sac. Today, I walked about a quarter of a mile. Tomorrow I will add more. These are tiny goals, but each one builds upon the other. This is important for both your emotional and physical recovery. Vince Lombardi put it this way: "It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down. What matters is how many times you get back up."

Lastly, let this be a reminder to maintain your good health with a supportive and sustaining lifestyle. Health is far more than the absence of disease and life is something way beyond the absence of illness. Be kind to yourself. Create a good life and enjoy!

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Soul Restoration Tip

If you are facing an illness or surgery, consider keeping a gratitude
journal. It helps to keep you focused on the positive. Each day, what can
you be thankful for? This may include a friend stopping by, flowers
blooming, feeling stronger, etc. In addition, what are you thankful for in
advance? You might include things like, "I am grateful my doctor appointment tomorrow will be a good one." Your positive attitude WILL make a difference in every facet of life.

Here's a neat site that can help you gage how you are handling life's
stresses. Take the quiz at
www.galaxymall.com/books/drbrickey/testyourself.html

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**Special Opportunity**

I am pleased to offer the DISC (dominance, influence, steadiness and
compliance) assessments to Bright Side subscribers. DISC is "the universal language of observable human behavior." Currently, we are offering both the
Employee-Manager Version and the Personal Interests, Attitudes and Values. Both assessments are available online and take 10 minutes each. At the completion of each one, you will receive a report with everything and anything (both reports total 38 pages of information) you ever wanted to know about yourself and your behavior in your work and personal life. I will also receive a copy and we will arrange for a telephone call to review your results and make recommendations. The feedback consultation will last approximately 90 minutes. Cost for this service is $150.00 in advance. To arrange for your assessments email Beth@BrightSideCoaching.com   or call
678-938-0419.

To see what else is going on at BrightSide Coaching, check out our Happenings page at www.brightsidecoaching.com/happenings.htm
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Thank you for sharing your time with me. I wish each one of you the very
best of health and speedy recoveries always!

On the mend,
Beth
Professional Life Coach / Writer / Human Being

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Contact Info

Copyright 2001 Beth Pugh
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