Smile. Laugh. Feel joy. For women going through heart disease treatment, it can take every ounce of energy just to accomplish these three things. Instead, their minds are focused on the next doctor's appointment and the next medication they need to ingest.
But there is good news. As Dr. Lynn M. Williams, a clinical health psychologist based in Vero Beach, Fla., explains, there are ways for you to learn how to stay positive even during your darkest phases of life.
I know what you are thinking: you've tried meditation in the past and it hasn't worked for you. Or maybe your mind has gotten in the way, you've been interrupted and you ended up feeling more stressed than when you started.
If this describes you, fear not. There are ways meditation can still help. Williams recommends starting small by just sitting quietly (you don't have to be in a lotus position or with your hands at heart center—try it in the doctor's office while you're waiting) and taking 15 cycles of deep inhalations and deep exhalations. The deeper you exhale, the deeper you will be able to inhale, she explains.
After 15 cycles, start breathing normally and then hyper-concentrate on your breath. And don't get down when to-do lists enter your mind.
While you may not have time to spend an hour at the park every day, Williams says even the busiest women can get out and enjoy some fresh air. Try taking a 10 minute break to walk down the street or park away far away from the grocery store for some extra time outside.
Feelings of isolation can quickly lead to depression, so try scheduling a standing date with your closest friends. Williams recommends meeting up at someone's home to make large batches of dinner to bring home for later consumption.
Visualization techniques are incredibly powerful; elite athletes use them to imagine crossing a finish line before a race even starts. Women going through treatment can do the same with visualization healing techniques These techniques can be a positive reinforcement on your to staying optimistic.