Changing Lives Volume 10 Issue 1 Spring 2015 SHA Locations: Learning. Living. Laughing. Cambridge 9 Wellington Street, Unit 1 Live Experiment Cambridge ON N1R 3Y4 By: Iolanda Andrade P: 519.623.6024 - F: 519.623.1924 “Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” - Bob Marley Kitchener Hello there. I couldn’t feel myself being anything. And I 67 King Street East refused to let go of such a beautiful gift which Kitchener ON N2G 2K4 Thanks for picking this up and reading. Please is life, that was given to me, only because my P: 519.570.4595 - F: 519.744.7066 don’t stop now, there might be something else mind said so. So now, living, learning and in this word soup that might make you take a laughing are my remedies; are part of my deep breath, make your ears ring or make you solutions—are the places where now, I take Guelph chuckle, even if just a little. my mind to. The best part of this process is that after I decide which action to take, I get 147 Wyndham Street N., Suite 207 Guelph ON N1H 4E9 I would like to take you on a personal journey. to also choose the subject. Freedom. Yes. P: 519.763.4014 - F: 519.763.1588 A journey of how I relate to learning, living and At its finest. laughing and how it changed who I am and changed who I am to others. I could be writing An interesting thing that is hard to see, unless Website a technical piece, full of “logical rationale” and we stop for a little bit, is that throughout the attach to it a bibliography, but that’s not how I course of time, our own personal definitions www.self-help-alliance.ca live my life; that’s not how I learn best. The of these words are rearranged as we grow irony of all this, really makes me laugh, and experience life. We become interested in because my mother wouldn’t agree with this different things, we laugh at different things specific procedure. and life changes meaning. Anyway, we shall carry on. Time doesn’t stand Until I realized that I was in full control of my still, and some of us only know we are living life (yes, “full control of my life”, because it is because time keeps ticking. my attitude that dictates how good or bad my life is), I had never realized the spectacle that So, to live. To learn. To laugh. These three it is, to literally call out these magic words, verbs used in every language; three actions then transform them to actions, in order to mankind relies on to survive. In these actions set up another awesome experience. Every we find freedom, we find meaning and we find life experience I have is awesome, solely INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ourselves. But, what are they? Skills? Traits? because I learn from every single one of them, Are we taught these things? Or, are we already even the ones that hurt, well, especially the Tools for Recovery 3 carriers of such, holding close to our hearts the ones that hurt. true meaning they have for us? We all live, Ask Reeves 4 learn and laugh differently, another reason to Now you might be wondering, what about leave the “academic diarrhea” out of this. when things have gone sour and you had no We All Need a Little… 5 control over it? Live Laugh Learn 6 When I stop and take a look at myself and my life, I can surely say I would not be who I am, I always take my personal advice, I believe that Drawn to Better Health 7 had I not had a very solid notion of what these our sixth sense is the sense of humor and it things meant for me. Every time I couldn’t has been proven to me, time and time again, About Us 8 laugh, I couldn’t learn and I couldn’t live that eventually I find it—even if only at the (usually places my mind took me without me end of it all. asking to go there); I lost my sense of being. Continued on Page 2 PAGE 2 S ELF HELP ALLIANCE - self help peer support recovery VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1 Wasted Time Live Experiment—Continued from Page 1 By: Anonymous By: Iolanda Andrade As warped as it may be, it doesn’t really matter, laughing is The time that I wasted, is my biggest regret medicinal and it has been scientifically proven. Spent in these places I will never forget Just sitting, thinking about the things that I’ve done But, if we aren’t doing any of these, what are we really doing? the crying, the laughing, the hurt and the fun Maybe going on a downward spiral just looking without watching, hearing without listening, talking without saying anything or Now it’s just me and my hard driven guilt existing without living? Behind a wall of emptiness I allowed to be built Am trapped in my body, just wanting to run So, I’m here to tell you, that the essence of everything, we find Back to my youth, with it’s laughter and fun inside of ourselves, inside our hearts, when we are open to learn, to laugh and to live. The essence is the same, we just place a piece of what is inside of us on something outside of us. But the chase is over there are no more places to hide Everything is gone, including my pride I would not be who I am if I were not open to all the possibilities With reality suddenly right in my face out there. We are given many gifts, life itself being one of them. I am scared, alone and stuck in this place What a waste it would be if we didn’t experience it. Living for the drugs and the wings I have grown Now, put that fear in your backpack, My feelings were lost, afraid to be shown and ask yourself these questions: As I look into the past it’s so easy to see The fear that made me afraid to be me I pretend to be rugged, so fast and so cool When actually I was lost like a blinded old fool I ask myself where and why I went wrong I guess I was weak when I should’ve been strong What would I really love to learn? Now memories of my past flash through my head And the pain is obvious by the tears that I shed When was the last time I had a good laugh? I am getting too old for this tiresome game How special am I in my life? Of acting real hard with no sense of shame Wishing you all good searches and most importantly great findings. But I know one day, I will get a brand new start For my dreams I still hold, deep in my heart From your fellow traveller who is not scared of dreaming awake. What the future will hold, I really don't know But the years I have wasted are starting to show Our Father who Art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name Reach out your loving hand and release me from my shame I like nonsense, it wakes up the Be the father I never had and hold me while I cry brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary Don’t forsake me or I will die ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities. Dr. Seuss VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1 S ELF HELP ALLIANCE - self help peer support recovery PAGE 3 Tools for Recovery Sometimes We Have to Learn to Laughing Live And Laugh Again They say that laughter is the best medicine, For some of us, when we are struggling, it feels and even if at first you have to fake it, it will like we have stopped living and are merely come naturally soon enough. If you’re able to, existing. I know for myself that sometimes I check out a comedy show, or grab a funny forget what it is like to laugh, and to really laugh, movie or sit down for a funny TV show. not just a fake laugh that is hiding how I really Attend a laughter yoga class. Meet up with feel, hoping that people will not notice. I have some friends. Watch some silly videos online. found that in these times, I need to look at the Find laughter. There are many benefits to skills I have learned, find the coping strategies laughing. Laughter helps reduce stress and that have been most helpful and use them. Often these come soothe tension. It can also help reduce pain and improve our quickly and easily now, though sometimes they do not work at moods. When was the last time you laughed? all, and I have to learn something new. Living From my personal experience, and the experiences of others What challenges you? How do you grow? What makes you who have been so wonderful in sharing their stories with me, happy? Find these things, do them, and do them often. Surround here are some tools that might help us get back on track with yourself with the things that bring you joy and help lift your learning new things, finding laughter and living our lives.