Okay, you’ve worked really hard this week and you’re tired. It’s Sunday morning and you want to go to church but you want, perhaps just as much, to just find your comfy spot on the couch and stay there. The good news is, that’s okay too. Are you concerned about missing Sunday morning worship at church if you don’t go? If so, there’s even more good news, you don’t have to!

For many of us, Sunday morning worship is a highly valuable way of talking with God and sharing our blessings with others. Going to church on Sunday morning is an active choice we make on a regular basis as a means of worshiping God and starting our week off right. But, did you know that you can have Sunday morning worship even if you feel like being a couch potato? Well, you can!

Usually, there is no substitute for putting on your Sunday best, heading to church and enjoying the praise and worship as well as the sermon the minister brings forth. Sometimes, however, an equally enjoyable worship time can be created right at home, on your couch. There is no substitute for reaching out to commune with God however you choose. For those occasions when you believe you need to be in church to worship, then you should put forth the extra effort to make it to church on Sunday morning.

But perhaps you’re tired or home bound or perhaps you don’t even have a home church. Take heart and realize that you can reach out to worship God whenever and wherever you are; even on your couch on Sunday morning. Begin with an open and earnest heart. Speak to God just as you would at church. Feel free to turn on the television and enjoy a televised Sunday morning worship service from another church. You can sometimes even call in to television evangelists and request prayer.

Sunday morning worship for the couch potato doesn’t mean you’re lazy or careless when you’re tired. Go to God in prayer from your couch and take heart, He hears, He understands, and He loves you just the same!

Once a year, every year, at the end of October, we celebrate Halloween. Even as adults, we sometimes get dressed up, head out to parties, or go trick-or-treating. Trick-or-treating, the tradition of walking from door-to-door asking for a trick or treat in hopes of getting a treat (let’s face it, no child really wants a trick, they want candy) is an age-old national tradition that many people participate in.

Trick-or-treating is not for everyone. Whether you are a parent or other adult or just a child care giver, if you are considering taking a child to trick or treat, there are some basic considerations to make:

1. Make sure your child is not afraid of ghost, goblins, witches, etc. Many adults who give out candy also dress up and decorate their homes. Small children can be traumatized by the realistic-looking costumes, music, and decorations and should not be taken to such homes.
2. Children who suffer from various disorders should not be taken trick-or-treating. This is not to suggest that because a child has a disorder they are not entitled to go but more so gives extra care and concern to the possible trauma that such a child can experience.
3. Certain pets should not be taken trick-or-treating either. Pets that are not comfortable with strangers, aggressive pets and pets that are very small and could be injured.

If you do take your child or pet trick-or-treating, be sure to carefully examine all of the goodies they receive. Discard anything that is opened or poorly packaged. It is better to be safe than sorry. Some police offer this service free of charge so check with your local authorities.

Additionally, if weather is inclement or you would rather not have your child go door-to-door for treats, consider having a Halloween party at home and invite over a few of your child’s friends to add more fun to the festivities. If a Halloween party at home sounds like too much trouble, consider taking your child to the local mall. Many stores offer candy on Halloween for children who are dressed in costumes. It’s a safe way to go from store to store and avoid the cold weather and to save on gas.

Chances are, no matter who you work for, if you are a full-time employee, you are entitled to a certain number of sick days. Do you tend to use them when you need them or try to save them? Many employers offer some small bonus as incentive to not use any sick days. But when should you call in sick and when should you not?

Many times, the choice to call in sick is dictated by a child who has become sick and you do not have alternative care to provide for him or her. It might be worth your while to check and see if there are local businesses that provide sick child care as there are some who do. Otherwise, you will typically have to use a sick day to stay at home and care for your child.

But what about when you are sick? Did you know that many people decide to go to work when they are sick? Although there is no rule requiring you to stay home, going to work sick exposes your co-workers and means that you are not working at your best because you are sick. There are some basic assessments you can take to help you determine whether or not you should call in sick. First, check your temperature. Even if your temperature is only a few degrees higher, you may have a low grade fever and your condition may be very contagious. Consider calling in sick and taking care of yourself at home or going to your urgent care doctor to receive a prescription for antibiotics.

Obviously, you should not call in sick to run errands or just because you do not feel like going. There is a slim possibility that you may be seen by co-workers if you are running errands or that when you do become sick you will not have any sick days left and subsequently lose pay for taking off.

With the weather changing, colds and flu are a danger to everyone. Consider getting a flu shot to help protect yourself so that you don’t have to call in sick.

You’ve just gone through a big break up. Being single sucks, you might say. So you chalk up the experience as being what it was, try not to dwell on the past, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and head back into the world of dating. Sound familiar? No doubt your friends have said forget about him or her, there are plenty of fish in the sea, right? Well, there may be plenty of fish, this is true, but there are some perils of speedy casual dating.

First, don’t misunderstand. This is not a vote against speed dating. Speed dating, a popular way to meet new people, involves group dynamics and allows you to spend a few minutes with each person in a controlled setting. Speed dating may work very well for some. This is not what speed casual dating involves. Speedy casual dating is something entirely different and can be hazardous to you in many ways.

No matter what age you are, speedy casual dating can be hazardous to your emotional well being. Sometimes it may feel good to get out and hang with the fellas or the girls and just have a good time. There’s nothing wrong with that. Let your hair down and enjoy yourself. If, however, you are tending to date in a rushed manner where there’s a different person several times a week, it is possible that your emotional well being is unstable. Variety is said to be the spice of life but by having a new people run in and out of your life in a quick and casual manner, you are not able to really get to know people and what they are about.

Speedy casual dating can also be hazardous to your sexual well being. Casual dating has no set guidelines or parameters other than to follow along with the definition of the word casual, which means “happening or done by chance without prior thought or planning” (Microsoft Encarta Dictionary). The concept of dating without prior thought or planning certainly has to have its consequences, particularly when it comes to becoming sexually involved in the process. The safest sex is abstinence. However, if you are not practicing safe sex, understand that having multiple sexual partners can diminish the beauty of having a loving sexual relationship. Additional, even with safe sex there are some risks that are being taken and those risks involve your sexual well being and maintaining the ability to have a balanced sexual equilibrium.

Perhaps one of the greatest perils of speedy casual dating is the damage is can cause to your mental well being. Deciding to date or not to date while single is definitely a personal choice. Likewise, deciding to casually date a variety of different people on a regular basis can attack your mental well being when you continue to subject yourself to dating people you do not know anything about. Even if you are casually dating people you know on a regular, fast basis, you want to take care that your friends do not create negative stereotypical labels and attach them to you as this can also damage your mental well being and cause you to feel less than your mentally balanced best.

The perils of speedy casual dating support my belief that there are too many fish in the sea to date them casually!

There must have been an opening for waking up the sun because your alarm clock goes off before the sun comes up! Six days a week, you’re out of bed and into your morning routine, if you can call it that, of doing this, that and the other. It always seems there’s so much to do and so little time. You find yourself thoroughly exhausted some 18 hours later when your day ends and as you fall tiredly into bed and asleep, you wonder if this is how most people handle their responsibilities.

Take it from me, it doesn’t have to be that way! If you are like many women today, you were many hats of responsibility. Being a mother alone is a great responsibility. Raising a child is the only full-time job where the benefits are unmatched and so is the pay! However, being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences period. So how do you balance a child, work, school, a social life, church, community involvement and all of the other responsibilities? The answer is simple: multi-tasking.

One of the best and most efficient ways to multi-task is to invest in a magnetized erasable/reusable calendar for your refrigerator and a pocket-sized date-book to carry with you. Trust me, you will still have plenty of room for those gorgeous works of art and good grades on the refrigerator front. Keep a dry-erase marker and eraser attached to the calendar. Take an hour or less on Sunday evening and fill in the week ahead. Recurring events throughout the month can be filled in for the entire month at the beginning of the month. Be sure to leave space on each day for adding things. Synchronize your date-book and calendar. These two record/date keeping instruments can lay the foundation for excellent multi-tasking.

Now, start simple. If you’re a coffee drinker, invest in an automatic coffee maker that can be set up and programmed the night before. Coffee can brew while you’re showering. Look, you’re already multi-tasking! The successful multi-tasker doesn’t have to do everything alone either so empower your spouse and children to help you multi-task. One way to engage the cooperation of children is to make it into a game. For example, you normally come home and help your child change into play clothes. Why not make it a clothes changing race? Have an invisible starting line at the door and it’s ready, set, go, where everyone races to their room, gets changes and puts away clothes. The winner must not only change their clothes but also put away the ones they take off whether it is the closet, hamper, or drawer. Remember, the idea here is multi-tasking. Getting a little exercise by running around putting away your clothes doesn’t hurt either, right? And empowering your child to learn the discipline of putting away their own clothes frees you from having to do it and teaches them a good habit. Let your child win to encourage participation but also win yourself sometimes to keep the competitive edge alive. Prizes can be hugs and kisses or, check this out: loser can prepare a lite snack (cookies and milk, crackers and cheese or something similar) which is another way of multi-tasking!

Are ideas starting to come to mind about how multi-tasking can simplify your life? The ways are virtually limitless. Most working moms know that preparing a home-cooked meal is better than eating out. But most working moms will also often tell you that by the time they leave work, pick up the kids and the dry cleaning and take the kids to soccer practice, they’re exhausted! Meal time doesn’t have to be a stress time for the multi-tasker. Set aside some time at the beginning of the week, possibly Sunday after you’ve filled in the calendar. Create a simple list of meals for 5 days. This will cover the entire week. One dish meals are great and can be re-heated easily. When you’re waiting in the grocery line next time, check out some of the quick and easy cookbooks on the shelves near the checkout.

Compile your grocery list with all of the items you need then invest in a few hours to prepare the meals for the week ahead of time. Divide the meals in to small containers or zip-lock bags and freeze. The morning you plan to have a particular meal, remove it from the freezer and place it on the shelf in the refrigerator. By the time you come home, it will be unthawed but not room temperature. Reheat in the microwave and serve. That’s it!

Learning to multi-task begins with understanding that you do have many responsibilities and others who rely on you to complete those responsibilities. Multi-tasking means you value your health and understand the necessity of having time to rest and rejuvenate yourself so that you can continue to meet the expectations of others and those you set for yourself. Multi-tasking does not mean you have to work harder, just smarter. So, go ahead and try it. Let multi-tasking help you simplify your life and balance all those hats in perfect order!

Wow, congratulations! You’ve just purchased your first foreclosed home. That’s great…now what? It’s almost common knowledge that the foreclosure market is ripe with potential and that the housing market overall is currently a buyer’s market but what does it all mean? What can you, the individual, do with a foreclosure once you’ve made the deal?

Buying a foreclosed home can be a golden opportunity. Chances are, if you’ve done your homework, you will be fortunate enough to realize that you’ve made a good investment. An investment not only in your financial future but into a feel-good, peace of mind that comes from knowing you’ve made a financial choice that has the potential to create something good for yourself and possibly others. But what are some of the next steps you need to take to make your foreclosure work for you?

First, it is important to understand how a foreclosure is defined. Any property that has a mortgage contract that is not fulfilled and goes into default can become a foreclosure. Consider this thought thoroughly when contemplating your foreclosure purchase. Foreclosures can be single family homes, townhouses, condominiums, duplex homes, manufactured homes, industrial buildings and even property lots. In other words, any property that has a mortgage contract can become a foreclosed property.

The foreclosure process is an unfortunate one for the individual or group who loses the property. By contrast, it can be a richly rewarding investment for you, the buyer, who understands how to find a valuable property and successfully wins the property by bidding or other purchasing means. This article assumes you have already taken the steps and acquired your foreclosed property.

Let’s say your foreclosure is a single family home. It’s in good condition and will not require any major renovations. Even if you have an ideal home, there are some minor renovations that will make your property look better. Before making any renovations, it would be a good idea to decide what you plan to do with the property. Are you planning to move into the home yourself, to re-sell the home (remember, right now it’s a buyer’s market, not a seller’s), or to create a new stream of income for yourself by renting the property.

If you plan to move in yourself, the possibilities for painting and decorating are endless. Free free to splash new colors on the walls, plant flowers in the yard, add a welcome mat to the front porch and go about getting settled into your new home, The choices are yours and if you’ve bought a foreclosure for cash with no balance due, not having to pay a house note or rent leaves some extra income to fashion your new nest just the way you want.

Although it is not required when you move into a home yourself, when you plan to rent a home, you need to have certain maintenance checks done. Electrical and plumbing standards must be met. Don’t fall into the category of a ’slumlord’ by allowing your property to be rented out unsafely. Likewise, different people have different tastes so if you plan to rent your home, stick to neutral colors for walls and fixtures.

There are many factors involved in renting a home. I recommend seeking legal advice to ensure that you understand your rights as a landlord and the tenant’s rights. Renting a property to someone you do not know can be a nightmare but with some forethought, a little patience and persistence with thoroughly conducting your affairs, you can have the pleasure of renting to a tenant who treats your home with the same care that you would.

The other possibility for your foreclosure is to re-sell the property. Although this option may not be a very viable one at this point in the economy, it may still be possible to sell your home and make a significant profit over what you have invested. Selling a foreclosure requires more than just the purchase of the property. In the case of the single family home, there may be other homes in the neighborhood already for sale. What can you do to make your home more likely to sell? Investing in cosmetic upgrades such as new light fixtures, replacing carpet, fresh paint, and landscaping are all ways to give your property a more appealing look.

If you purchase a foreclosure for $10K and invest an additional $10K, get an appraisal for the modified home and determine what price to sell the home to make a profit. It’s very likely that your $20K investment has been made to a home whose value is several times that amount. Which means that you can market the home as a buyer’s special where you advertise the home at its appraised value, which may be $75K but offer to sell at $50K, which would be a $30K profit on your investment. Re-selling or flipping houses can be a lucrative way to generate and increase your income but not without many inherent risks. Be sure to seek legal counsel on all documented matters before signing.

So you bought a foreclosure…now what??

You may already be aware of the staggering number of Americans who are obese. What you may not know is that obesity in adults in any country can lead to Type II Diabetes. This type of disease is know as adult onset diabetes and is often the result of a variety of factors which includes being overweight. This article’s focus is not, however, on the overweight condition of many adults except where it impacts those individuals who are diagnosed with Type II.

Genetics also play a pivotal role in whether or not an adult becomes a Type II diabetic. For example, a moderately overweight person (one who is 20 to 30 pounds above their categorized size) may be at as high risk as one who is morbidly obese (one who has a BMI [Body Mass Index] of 40 or more). This can be possible due to genetics where the first person has a history of diabetes on either the paternal or maternal side of the family versus the morbidly obese person who is at risk because of the extreme weight condition. In other words, Type II Diabetes does not attack the overweight person just because of added fat but looks at genetic factors also.

Understanding Type II Diabetes requires an explanation of the different types of diabetes. First, diabetes of any sort is a disease condition in which the body does not create ample insulin for the blood or, in some cases, no insulin at all. Diabetics babies who do not create any insulin at all from birth suffer from what is defined as Juvenile diabetes. This form of diabetes has nothing to do with weight but rather sources sometimes to genetics. Children who suffer from Juvenile diabetes are insulin dependent and often use an insulin pump rather than have to be subjected to multiple needle pokes daily. The insulin pump is typically surgically inserted into the skin and can be programmed to dispense necessary insulin doses to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.

Another form of diabetes is Type I Diabetes, also known as Insulin-Dependent. This diabetic individual is not born with diabetes but, for various reasons ranging from oral medication resistance to uncontrollable glucose (blood sugar) levels, has to take insulin shots to control their diabetes. Like Juvenile Diabetes, some Type I diabetics are surgically fitted with an insulin pump. Other Type I diabetics who have trouble with their vision may receive a prescription to dispense their insulin through a pen-type needle that measures their dosage with a simple click.

Type II Diabetes, which is neither diagnosed at birth nor exactly like Type I, is the most varied of the three because it can be highly influenced by external stimuli such as weight loss, exercise, various types of diabetic medications, or bariatric surgery. The way that Type II treats the body is that it addresses the fat within the body and creates far more sugar in the blood than the body can process. If this doesn’t sound like a big deal, it is. Type II diabetes has no symptoms but can cause significant damage to major organs in the body including, but not limited to the heart and eyes. Other risks for uncontrolled and untreated Type II diabetes include stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, and blindness.

The good news is that Type II Diabetes can be cured. Growing popularity for bariatric surgery has been sending many Type II diabetics rushing off to get under the knife. While many results show that bariatic surgery does, in fact, cure all of the conditions of Type II, what this writer firmly believes is that bariatric surgery does not address the eating issues that some Type II diabetics face and thus is not a permanent nor healthy solution. Additionally, as with any surgical procedure, there are many risks associated with having bariatric surgery which include infection, the body’s rejection of the procedure, depression and bursting the procedure internally from continued overeating.

Understanding Type II Diabetes means knowing your risk level. If you are overweight, you should be tested by your physician. The test is simple and requires only a finger poke from which a small sample of blood can determine whether or not you are at risk or require treatment. As a rule, a fasting blood sugar level (this means not having eaten any food for approximately 8 hours) is ideal in the range of 60 to 70 mdl. A fasting blood sugar level of more than 120 mdl means you are most likely at risk for becoming a Type II or already experiencing the disease. If you are at a risk, your doctor may prescribe a diet and exercise regimen to help you lose weight and control your blood sugar levels. If you are diagnosed, a diet and exercise along with oral medication will be prescribed to help you gain control of your sugar levels.

Controlling Type II Diabetes involves monitoring your blood sugar levels as specified, maintaing a sensible diet and exercise regimen and moderating your stress levels. Believe it or not, stress can play such an important role in your daily life. Too much stress can cause your sugar to elevate as much as 100 points even though your diet and exercise and medications are all in order. Thus, it is very important to minimize stress.

It doesn’t take rocket science to understand Type II Diabetes. If you or someone you know is overweight and at risk, take the time to visit your doctor and have your blood checked. In the long run, Type II can not only be controlled but cured. Left untreated, Type II can advance to Type I. In a worse case scenario, untreated Type I can result in kidney failure, which is when the body no longer filters impurities and the blood must be cleansed regularly through a process known as dialysis. Without dialysis, the body will completely shut down and death results. Type II diabetes, however, is not a death sentence. Understanding Type II diabetes is an opportunity to effect a life change for the better.

Already you know what this article is about…or do you? At some point, virtually every adult has heard something about the necessity of a last will and testament but do you understand the necessity of having one? According to a recent survey by Findlaw, 59% of Americans do not have a will (http://www.uslegalwills.com/news_994_010815.asp). This means that more than half of the adult population is without the protection that carries out their wishes for their burial, estates, and children after their death. If you are one of the 59% without a will, what can you do? The answer is relatively simple but first let us examine and understand the necessity.

We know that death is a certainty to each of us. The time of death is very seldom pinpointed. Because unexpected and accidental death can occur at any time, it is far from morbid to take the appropriate steps to have a legal plan in place in case of such event happening. Even in cases where a prolonged illness precedes death, there is still a margin of living that is not described as a particular day or hour when expected death will occur. As such and according to the bible adage, no man knows the hour when his (her) time will come and should live accordingly. This passage refers to being prepared. The necessity of a last will and testament adheres to the requirement of preparing one’s affairs in the manner they wish them to be handled once they are gone.

Another prime example can be taken from how we conduct our lives on a month to month basis. Every month the average adult has some form of budget. This planning involves paying expenses, entertainment (if we can still afford it),  savings (like entertainment), investments and the like. Without a last will and testament, there are no legal actions in place to conduct your affairs as they were previously done. This can, and typically does, create a hardship for loved ones; particularly when minor children are involved. As unique as our fingerprints, we are all individuals. We may be likeminded with our spouse or parents or children but there is no guarantee that even the closest person will think to handle your affairs in the same manner that you would, were you still living. For this purpose alone, a last will and testament affords loved ones the opportunity to simply follow the directives left in your will.

However, let us further consider the necessity. Your monthly affairs may be just a few of the facets of your estate. Perhaps you own real estate and other investments. How will these investments be handled? With a last will and testament that is legally executed, your directions can be explicitly detailed as to how your estate should be handled.

Preparing a last will and testament can be a relatively simple task. If you wish to save the expense of getting it legally prepared, a last will and testament can be prepared in a word processing program or even written by hand. The bottom line is to create a written plan that gives directions for how to handle all of your affairs. Your last will and testament should also be inclusive of how you want to be committed, whether it is cremation or a traditional burial. Having a living will, similar to a last will and testament, is another consideration to make.

A living will makes provision for your wishes to be followed with respect to a variety of factors. One major consideration of a living will is whether or not to sustain life if a vegetative state exists with no possibility of recovery or cure. Another similar consideration is whether or not to sustain life if there is permanent, irreversible brain damage resulting in a comatose state. Both of these hardships can create permanent damage to family relationships.

With a last will and testatment and living will in place, you can rest assure that there will be no need to guess what provisions should be made for your estate. Be sure to have your documents legalized even if you chose not to have an attorney draw them up for you. The legalization of your wills places a binding responsibility on your trustees to carry out your wishes. Once you have legalized your will, keep a copy in a safe place among other important documents and with a trusted relative or friend, if you wish.

Be sure to keep your last will and testament current. The necessity of a last will and testament is that having a will is the only safe way to make your wishes known once you are gone.

Reference:  U.S. Legal Wills by PartingWishes.com website

Whether you wear full makeup or go for the natural look, keeping your skin healthy and radiant involves practicing a beauty regimen regularly. With so many beauty products on the market, developing a successful beauty regimen may seem like a daunting task; it doesn’t have to be. The first factor to determine is your skin type. Do you have areas of your skin that are prone to dryness, redness, or irritation? Or do you have oily areas that easily create blemishes? Discover your skin type before deciding which products you want to use. Some manufacturers offer products which are both hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. Such products are very suitable for sensitive skin.

Once you determine your skin type, be sure to review products that are age appropriate. If you are a teenager, you don’t need a wrinkle-reducer night cream. Likewise, if you are a senior, you don’t need an acne cream to treat pimples. If you are unsure, try to ask store personnel on hand for help.

Taking care of your skin is not limited to your face. Skin-deep beauty is applicable to all areas of the body. For those who are budget-conscious, try purchasing a moisturizer that can be used on the face and other parts of the body as well or consider purchasing a bodywash that has a moisturizer built in. Avoid products which are heavily perfumed and contain strong dyes and other artificial additives. These things make your bath smell good but do nothing to protect the natural beauty of your skin.

Try to begin your morning beauty regimen with thorough cleansing of your skin followed by moisturizer. If your hands are often in water or other parts of your skin are exposed to elements that can create dryness, be sure to carry along a purse-sized moisturizer to use during the day. Using a quality sunblock can help to protect skin as well. Watch your skin for warning signs of damage such as redness and itching. Follow the same cleansing regimen in the evening, making sure to remove all makeup and dirty from the skin. Moisturize with special attention to night moisture application as needed.

If finances permit, treat your skin to a spa treatment once a month. Try to find a package deal that includes a facial, pedicure, manicure, and massage. If you can’t afford a professional spa, create your own spa day at home by inviting over a couple of friends and making a good time for every one’s skin!

Understand that even a superlative skin care regimen cannot circumvent things that come through the skin from eating certain kinds of foods and other stimulants. For example, fried foods can cause facial blemishes. Smoking and alcohol consumption can cause skin discoloration. Try to exercise moderation with such foods and be sure to drink plenty of water to help flush out impurities.

Remember that just as you change your clothes with the seasons, your skin care needs to be considerate of the weather you are exposing it to. Beauty may be more than skin deep but when it comes to your skin, what’s outside counts!

I was sitting on the side of my bed playing with my son. I remember the day clearly because it was a week before his birthday and I was thinking about what we wanted to do to celebrate it. I heard the telephone ring but I have a teen-aged daughter and figured she would answer. Ironically, my other daughter brought me the phone and said it was her aunt. Her aunt, I thought, never calls me. Something must be wrong.

I answered the phone and sure enough, it was bad news. Through the garbled crying, I understood very clearly what she was saying. My daughter’s father had gone into the hospital the night before, complaining of pain in his shoulder and had passed away that morning from a coronary embolism. He was 33 years old.

The sudden death of a loved one or friend is shocking. No matter what age the individual is, but particularly if they are a child or young in adulthood. My daughter’s father was 33 and the last conversation I had with him had been an argument. I was stunned to learn he had suddenly died. You may experience a similar reaction to such a loss. Understand that it is normal and that there is help for coping with the loss.

First, rest assure that there is no wrong or right way to cope with death. You may feel like crying and if you do, then cry. You may feel angry or resentful that the individual has left you and that’s okay too. Because sudden death creates a void, it is natural to experience discomfort with that emptiness. You may secretly feel relief, freedom, or joy and, believe it or not, this is okay too. Shock, surprise, denial, dismay, depression and frustration are also some of the emotional symptoms that come with one’s coping with the loss.

It is important to understand that just as we are unique individuals, we do not all deal with such a sudden loss the same. Some people pride themselves on being strong and not letting anyone see them cry. This is their way of doing things and that way is fine for them. Some people are highly emotional and cry at a moment’s notice. This is also their way of coping and it is perfectly acceptable. Allow yourself to cope in the manner that works best for you; provided that your manner does not endanger you or others.

Any emotion or action that does endanger you or others or is uncontrollable is one that needs help. Do not hesitate to seek out professional help if you find that any of the emotions you are experiencing are uncontrollable. For example, extended periods with loss of appetite, loss of energy and loss of interest in living require professional treatment which should be sought out immediately. Likewise, overwhelming grief that causes listlessness, lethargy or preoccupation with death should be addressed immediately with a professional grief counselor or grief support specialist.

Even if you are coping with the sudden loss without the need for professional treatment, you may find holidays and other special occasions difficult to deal with. This is natural. It is okay to continue to celebrate the occasions and you may find it helpful to have a special moment in memory of the loved one. If such moments are too painful or creating the celebrations does not feel right, cancel the celebration. But rather than stay at home alone and mourn the loss, try spending the holiday with others who are celebrating in their own special way.

The process of coping with the sudden loss of a loved one or friend involves acceptance. Accept that just as life begins, so it ends and none of us know the time or hour when we are called away from this life. Understand that your life continues and that chances are, your loved one or friend would not want you to grieve for them but instead to live life fully. Allow yourself to go through the stages of coping with the loss which can range from anger to zeal. Embrace the wonderful memories.