Tomorrow is my nephew Lee’s 18th birthday. It is hard to believe he has been gone almost four years. When he and his sister, Madison, died in a car accident it was devastating to the entire family. I heard the other day on the radio an interview with the publisher of the new book coming out about Senator Kennedy’s life. One of the things they quoted him as saying was about losing his brother, John F. Kennedy. He said, “You never fully get over a loss like that.” (I’m paraphrasing from memory so forgive me if I am off a few words.)
I think the loss of a child is like that. Every birthday, anniversary, and holiday that comes by feels like there is a hole in it. As their contemporaries grow and have momentous life events, the loss is felt again. Lee would have graduated from high school this year. I find myself wondering, “What would he have chosen to do after graduation?” In many ways, it doesn’t matter, but there is a part of me that still wonders…
Lee was the first child born in the new generation of my family. I was so excited when my sister Marie announced her pregnancy. I was still in college and years away from being in the right timing to have my own children so having a child born into my family was the next best thing.
Lee was a healthy and active child. He loved to joke and laugh. He loved animals and wasn’t so fond of school. He was friendly and outgoing. One of my favorite memories of Lee was about two years before the accident. Marie, Lee, and I all met up at a campground to spend the night before we picked up Madison and my step-daughter, Alyssa, at camp the next day. Marie ended up leaving the campground for an hour or so and Lee and I had a chance to connect. At one point he looked at me and said, “So, how have you been?” I don’t remember what I said but when I answered he asked a follow up question that directly correlated to my answer. And then after I answered again, he asked another question that was related. It was obvious that he was listening to me and he did a remarkable job carrying on a conversation. I was so impressed with the young man that he was growing into.
One of the ways I honor Lee is by bringing out some of his character traits in myself when it would be helpful. I have tried to lighten up and laugh more; to accept people for where they are at; to be outgoing and start conversations; to acknowledge that “it’s all good”.
Life is good and I am so grateful that Lee was born into our family and we had him for just over 14 years. He taught me a lot in those years and if I listen carefully, I continue to learn from him and his legacy.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who uses her supplements and meal replacements to keep her healthy when grieving. You can see more on her website at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com
Filed under: mental health, supplements | Tags: benefits of sleep, natural sleep
You have probably heard it said that we should be getting eight or nine hours of sleep per night for optimum health. I know many people consider themselves to be doing good if they get six uninterrupted hours per night. What we may not realize is the danger we are putting ourselves in when we consistently cut ourselves short on sleep.
Our bodies need sleep to rejuvenate, heal, detox, and grow. I know there are some people who seem to operate just fine on four, five, or six hours of sleep per day. That may be true. However, before you lump yourself into that category…consider the following:
There have been several sleep deprivation studies that have clearly shown that people who are sleepy behind the wheel drive as poorly as people who have had alcohol.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to have heart attacks.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick.
People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get headaches.
People who don’t get enough sleep tend to have more mood swings.
So how can you get enough sleep?
It is my opinion that there are two keys to getting enough sleep:
- Plan to get enough sleep. Arrange your schedule and your activities so you can get to bed and sleep for a full eight to nine hours. This means better use of your waking hours so you aren’t up at midnight working on that special project for school or finishing the laundry.
- Use self-discipline to go to bed. When we were little our parents (most of our parents) made sure we were in bed by a certain time in order to get enough rest (and give themselves a break). Now WE need to each take responsibility for ourselves and demonstrate the same self-discipline we use to get to work on time or make sure our bills are paid to get ourselves in bed at a decent hour.
Additional tips for getting enough sleep are:
- If you nap during the day, keep it brief (30 minutes or less)…set an alarm! Too much sleep during the day will throw off your nightly routine and could set you up for a bad sleep pattern.
- Keep your bedroom dark. Our brain patterns for sleep work better in the dark. Plus I read of one study where people who slept in rooms that were not dark were more likely to develop cancer.
- Turn down the lights as you get closer to bedtime. This helps our bodies natural rhythms to recognize that sleep is coming, sort of like the sun setting.
- Watch how much you eat and drink before going to bed…especially caffiene and alcohol. Alcohol may make you sleepy initially but the effects can wear off after a couple hours. If you find yourself awake in the middle of the night and have a hard time going back to sleep, cut out the alcohol or consume it with dinner and not before bed.
- Turn off your brain. I regularly will read a chapter of a light reading novel before going to sleep. It helps me put good thoughts in my brain and decrease thoughts about “what I need to do tomorrow” or “what happened today” that may keep me awake and pondering.
- Take “Gentle Sleep Complex” 20-30 minutes before you go to bed. It has Chamomile and Valerian Root plus a few other herbs, is non-addicting, and doesn’t make you dopey. I use it on nights that I know I will have a harder time turning my brain off and settling down to sleep.
Consider committing to yourself to set up a good sleep habit for the next month and stick to it. See how your body feels if you are consistently getting eight hours of sleep per night.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who values a good night of sleep and loves waking up refreshed. You can find Gentle Sleep Complex at www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com As a Shaklee Independent Distributor she is compensated if you purchase products from her or her website.
Filed under: mental health, supplements | Tags: menstrual cycle, natural treatments for PMS, period relief, PMS
If you are reading this I am sure you have had your own experiences with menstrual pains (either from yourself, a friend, or spouse). I know people who have such tremendous pain with their menstrual cycles they have difficulty holding down a job. As always, I thought I would share my personal experience and what I have found to be the most helpful in naturally alleviating both physical and emotional pain that can be associated with my cycle.
I would describe my “normal” menstrual symptoms as moderate. Prior to doing the tips that I list below I would have cramping that caused me to double over in pain but I was still able to function and work. I could be quite unreasonably emotional and hard to get along with (so much so that if I could have gotten away from myself, I would have).
The number one thing that has helped my cycle is increasing water consumption. This month, especially for the last week, I did less well on water intake and I could tell in my feelings of moodiness.
Number two for helping my cycle is listening to my body and making sure that I am paying attention to the signals it gives me (throughout the month). Instead of blindly popping a pain reliever if I have a headache, I will work backward and do an inventory of my body to identify where the headache might have come from. If I realize I have been hunched over the computer I will do some stretching and ask my hubby for a back rub or if my water intake has been low I will drink 10 oz of water right away and then make a conscious effort to get another 20 oz into my body in the next hour.
One big piece of this is resolving differences in relationships and not letting bad feelings fester and grow. For me, it is taking time to grieve losses I have had or they really show up during PMS time. I also strive to get eight to nine hours of sleep per night because that really makes a difference for me.
To help with my cycle overall, and especially for the emotional side of things, I have added GLA (gamma linolenic acid) which is an omega-6 fatty acid that our bodies use to form prostaglandins (hormone-like substances that our bodies use to regulate processes). I take two a day and the week to ten days before my period starts I bump it up to three per day.
The first month I added GLA to my daily routine my period started around my normal timing and I mentioned it casually to my husband that my period had begun. He looked over at me surprised and said, “I didn’t think it was coming up so quick.” To which I replied, “I don’t know why you would be surprised, it falls around the same time every month.” He said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t have any warning this month that it was starting.” (He meant crankiness and then he asked if he could buy stock in GLA.)
I almost always have a backache the first 24-36 hours of my period. I have found that Shaklee’s Joint and Muscle Cream really eases my back pain. If the cat gives me a snuggle too, it is even more effective.
I also take chewable Calcium and Magnesium supplements the first couple days of my period to help relax my muscles.
I am a big fan of using glad rags or another reusable product for menstrual flow. You can go to www.gladrags.com and check out what they have for both external and internal use. The organic cotton is really wonderful feeling and so much better for our bodies than all the synthetics and chemicals in disposables. Plus, I haven’t had to purchase any supplies in years! It is an investment initially but then you more than make your money back.
Take care of yourself and honor all parts of you. Try not to get so caught up in day-to-day tasks that you don’t listen to the messages your body is sending. We women sometimes get busy and put others ahead of our own needs. Remember if you aren’t good to yourself, you won’t be able to be good for others. Take time to nurture YOU.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who prefers to support her body and provide nutrition to give the building blocks for health and happiness. You can check out the supplements at: www.DonnaCopeland.MyShaklee.com There is a money-back guarantee on all products.
Filed under: mental health, supplements | Tags: supplements and stress relief
During a particularly stressful time in the first couple years of opening our martial arts school, Keith’s hair turned grey in a matter of months. I always used to get sick while home on “post finals break” during college. Many people find themselves ill when grieving (whether loss of a person, a job, a marriage, etc.). Stress is hard on our bodies and there are simply times that no matter how well we manage our lives, we are still going to be under stress.
So when all else fails and you are under stress, what can you do to pump up your body’s defenses so you can stay healthy and productive while continuing to take care of those you love, especially yourself?
To have stress relief but feel alert:
- Stress Relief Complex: Reduce your body’s production of cortisol (which has been shown to be harmful to our bodies) with a unique blend of L-Theanine, Aswagandha, Beta sitosterol, and L-Tyrosine. This has been shown to work in as quickly as 30 minutes.
To sleep well:
- Gentle Sleep Complex provides you with Valerian, Chamomile, and Passion Flower to help you stay calm and sleep well.
- Calcium (especially chewable Calcium/Magnesium) just before bed serves as a natural relaxer. NOTE: You can also try the chewable calcium instead of antacids.
For General Health and Vitality (also see posts on immunity):
- B-Complex: Our bodies chew through B Vitamins when we are under stress like they are going out of style. Get lots of extra B’s.
- Vitamin C: Essential to keeping our cells happy and healthy, get extra Vitamin C and since it doesn’t stick around for long, take it multiple times during the day (you can get a sustained release that is good for five hours…see the website below).
- An excellent multi-vitamin: This isn’t the time to choose the cheapest vitamin on the shelf; you want a comprehensive supplement that will provide your body with added support, antioxidants, and natural anti-inflammatory protection on a daily basis.
- Soy Protein Shakes: The last thing you need under stress is to start having your blood sugar take dips and peaks. Being under stress is an easy time to eat wrong. Keep some convenience foods on hand (like shakes) and eat right.
Stress is part of life but there are many things we can do to reduce our stress. Start with your calendar and what you can control and make sure you have good supplements on hand to help you stay healthy and productive when short term stress is unavoidable. Take time for R & R (rest and relaxation) too!
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who has had her own experiences with stress that have sometimes ended badly and with ill health. Learning from those experiences and making improvements in her own life, Donna is happy to share her lessons with you in the hope that you can live a longer, healthier, and more enjoyable life. You can find the products mentioned in this blog at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: mental health | Tags: circle of influence, stress, stress management
You know how you feel when you are trying to cram three hours of tasks into one hour? Or when you have an extra deadline at work on top of all your other tasks? How about when you are on a motorcycle and you see green storm clouds right behind you? Or a friend confesses to you a deep, dark secret they made you promise not to share? Have you stared a skunk in the furry little face and watched him start to back up? Have you had a grease fire start on the stove while you are making pancakes?
These are all moments of stress and how we manage our lives and how we choose to view them impact how much stress we actually experience and how much harm we do to our bodies. There is a concept that I find very helpful called, “Circle of Influence” that was created by Stephen Covey (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) which encourages us to consider what we can influence in our lives versus what we have no control over (even though it may concern us).
Consider being on the back of a motorcycle with green clouds. I couldn’t change the clouds but I could control if I stayed on the motorcycle or sought shelter in a safer place. As it turns out I was two blocks from home so we went for it and made it inside just before the storm hit.
So one message of today is to not add stress to your life about things you have no control over, even if they concern you. The state of the world, other people’s lives, and the weather are all examples of things we cannot truly control. Do focus on what is IN your control that may improve those situations (such as donate to a charity that supports developing nations or be a good role model for a friend) but don’t allow that worry to add stress to your own life.
The second message for today is to set yourself up for success. Consider your life, your decade, your year, your month, your week, your day, your hour. What is truly important to you? Make sure the tasks you are focusing on are taking care of what is truly important. There are no “do-overs” in life. We have this moment and this day. Sometimes what is truly important competes with each other. I want to grow two different businesses AND have great relationships AND nurture myself. So I often need to look at my life and see how I am doing in my top five priorities to make sure none are being neglected.
Donna’s Top Five Priorities:
- Have a great marriage and immediate family relationships.
- Have wonderful friendships and extended family relationships.
- Build a solid Shaklee business to help others live healthier and wealthier lives.
- Nurture myself and grow into my potential.
- Create an amazing Quest community that fills the surrounding communities with people making the world a safer place.
Sometimes something will come up that may temporarily throw the others out of whack and then life will readjust again.
For example, this week we have an employee on vacation at our martial arts school so I am putting in extra hours to cover some of his responsibilities. In addition, I have been feeling a little under the weather so my priority of “nurture myself” got bumped up to the top of the list.
Consider your top priorities in life. Do your daily tasks reflect what is truly important to you? That exercise alone can show you where a lot of your stress may be coming from. Take good care of yourself…remember there are no do-overs.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who enjoys sharing what she has learned to support others leading the lives of their dreams. You can see more at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Have you heard the statistic about how many illnesses and doctors visits are attributed to stress? I have heard anywhere from 50-90% of all illnesses and doctors visits have stress at their root. It seems a little unbelievable at first but when you delve deeper into how the body operates and how being under stress undermines our immune systems (and how our health pretty much comes completely from how healthy our immune systems are) then it starts to make a little more sense.
As you likely know, I am not a scientist so I am not going to get into all the chemicals and such. I will share the simplified way that I think about it. When our bodies are under stress they are designed to have a single-focus and take care of the life-threatening situation. Yes, I said life-threatening. Let’s go back 100 years in time and imagine your farmer ancestors. Their lives are subjected to the routines of the seasons and when do they have stress? When bad weather comes in and puts a frost on their young seedlings (life threatening because without those plants they may not have enough food or money to get by). Or perhaps for a few days or even a couple weeks when a variety of crops are coming in and they need to be preserved so they don’t spoil (life threatening because these foods are needed to make it through the winter). You probably get the picture.
Our ancestors had stress for brief periods of time when something was life threatening and once that was over they would go back to life as usual. These days it seems like our “life as usual” is to try to cram 30 hours of things to do into a 24-hour day.
So how I think of stress is that it is partly physical, partly structural, and partly mental. The mental part is that it is my choice to consider something stressful. You probably know people who are so laid back a tornado going overhead wouldn’t phase them. Likewise you may also know people who become undone if their child gets a scratch on their finger. So I like to consider, “Is this going to matter in 5 years?” “Is this life threatening?” If the answer to either of those is “Yes” then it would probably be okay to allow myself to get a bit stressed.
The physical part is how our bodies respond under stress. Our bodies are conditioned to have certain responses during stressful times so digestion doesn’t get in the way, our immune system is temporarily heightened, and we likely have increased energy and perhaps even an inability to sleep because we should be doing something.
The final part is structural. This part is more about how our lives support stressful events occuring on a regular basis. Do you tend to overbook yourself or your children? Do you wait for the last minute to get a project done? This is the part that we can have the most conscious control over and that can make the greatest difference.
Consider the stress in your life and see where it is coming from most often. See if there are some structural changes you can make in your schedule and your priorities to decrease the likelihood of stress. We will continue this discussion with other ways to manage stress and how stress can show up in our bodies.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who thrives on helping people to live healthier lives naturally, through self-awareness and good nutrition. Find out more at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: mental health | Tags: changing plans, nourishing ourselves, taking care of ourselves
I always feel like there is a fine line between keeping myself on task and being rigid in following through with my plans. When I put something on my “to do” list I expect that it will happen but sometimes life doesn’t go as planned and I may still try to force the original list of tasks. Let me give you an example…
This past weekend I had planned to go to the Dixboro Fair on Saturday and to a friend’s potluck on Sunday. Keith and I needed to go in to Quest, our martial arts school, and cover for an employee who was on vacation and take care of a couple other things. While waiting for Keith I decided to call mom because Saturday was the 45th anniversary for my parents. I know I had been feeling extra-emotional and missing my dad and I wanted to touch base with my mom and let her know I had been thinking of her.
Once I was speaking to her I really wanted to spend some time with her. She was having mass said for my dad that afternoon and I hadn’t been out to my mom’s house in over a month. By the time Keith finished his duties I knew I wouldn’t be able to go to the Dixboro Fair AND see my mom. I told Keith I really wanted to go out to see her and he was completely supportive of our change of plans. Not only that, but Keith also encouraged me to spend the night so I could have more time with my mom.
I still struggled with changing plans at the last minute but I have learned through the years that sometimes what nourishes my soul isn’t on my “to do” list. I needed to give myself that time and space for healing, and to have time to connect with my mom.
I encourage you that if you see yourself in my description, if you have a desire to complete a list because that was what you said you were going to do, ask yourself the question, “Am I taking care of ALL of my needs and myself in both the long AND short term?” My grief healing had been taking a back seat and I could see the signs of that increasing…feeling more emotional, feeling more stress, having more difficulty focusing…I needed a change.
I’ll make it to the Dixboro Fair next year…I hope.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who believes that our health is connected through our physical, mental, and spiritual bodies and that all parts of us must be nourished and healthy to create an optimum life. You can purchase Shaklee supplements and green cleaners on-line at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Seventy-eight years ago today, Charles Edward Sink was born. He was the first child and only son of Joseph and Geneva (Klarer) Sink. Thirty-three years later he became Janet’s husband. Forty years after his birth he became my dad. Only a few weeks before his seventy-seventh birthday, he died. He had said in the months leading up to his death that it would have been nice to live to eighty. So here I sit, just a little over a year after his death, pondering how to celebrate his birthday.
A wise woman once told me that “birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate the uniqueness and specialness of that person.” While I am grieving I find that birthdays feel emotionally mixed because I want to honor the person but I also feel the ache of missing their physical presence such that going through some of the same traditions may feel too painful. Some other holidays may be even worse, depending on family traditions.
I picked up a book titled “Empty Chair” several years ago and found it to be very helpful as I grieved in the first couple years after Lee and Madison died. The book is mainly about handling special occasions, times when you really notice the “empty chair” at the table. I’ll share a couple key tips that I found most helpful.
- Follow your heart. It is really important to be in touch with yourself and your own feelings so you can take care of yourself. This is true of the big picture (for example, an extended holiday season as you plan ahead) and also the smaller picture, such as, “How am I feeling in this moment, what do I need to do to take care of me?”
- Make all of your plans flexible. If you think being at home for a special day might be too much and you decide to accept an invitation to go to a friend’s home, let them know in advance that if it is too much for you will they have a problem if you leave. If they will, accept a different invitation or make other plans. Allow yourself to be flexible in each moment. You may surprise yourself and feel better than you expected and thus be “up for more” but the reverse could also be true and you don’t want to put yourself under that kind of stress to keep a happy face on when that is the very last thing you are feeling.
- Don’t strand yourself. Along the same lines as “make your plans flexible” you want to make sure you have the ability to leave when you want to. So maybe don’t buy a non-refundable ticket to Jamaica for a holiday only to discover once you are there you can only imagine being at home.
- Make room for new traditions. Many grieving people find great comfort in creating a new tradition or two that really honor the person who passsed. It could be anything to setting aside some time to share memories or donating to that person’s favorite charity. Be creative and think of what makes sense for you.
- Allow traditions to change from year to year. The first few years of grieving all feel different, especially for a significant loss. Just because you ate Thanksgiving Dinner at Aunt Nancy’s last year doesn’t mean you need to do the same this year.
- Try not to tie yourself to the role of host/hostess. If you are hosting an event it is practically impossible to leave in the middle to take care of yourself. Think twice before committing to any hosting, most especially a major event. You may have already discovered as a grieving person that sometimes there is nothing more you want than being alone so try to work your plans so you can have that time if you want/need it on that day.
So today, on my dad’s seventy-eighth birthday, I am going to pick black raspberries (a special treat I used to bring him on his birthday for the last few years) and I am contemplating making a banana cream pie (his favorite birthday treat) but I haven’t decided on that yet. We will have Mexican food for dinner with refried beans, corn tortillas, and spicy salsa, one of Dad’s favorite meals. I purposely left my schedule flexible today (and yesterday too) so I can take time to myself and flow with the day. Feel free to join me in honoring a man who touched so many lives in his family and local community.
Donna Copeland is an Independent Shaklee Distributor who lost her father to cancer in June 2008. She has shared other grief tips on this blog as well as her specialties of gluten-free, green, and healthy living tips. Thank you for sharing this journey with her. For more information on Shaklee, go to: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
Filed under: mental health | Tags: anger, boundaries, emotional health, forgiveness, letting go
We all have regrets and things we would do differently if we had the information then that we have now. I believe that is part of growing. There is a difference between acknowledging regrets and living in guilt over them. We have both been hurt and we have hurt others. Unless we can learn to let go of the hurt, the anger, and the guilt we run the risk of bringing health issues and unhappiness into our lives.
One thing that I used to struggle with was the phrase “forgive and forget”. I thought that if I forgave the past hurt I also had to forget it and set myself up to be hurt again, especially if the other party didn’t seem likely to change. Who wants to set themselves up for that? It didn’t seem like a smart idea to me; then I was introduced to the concept of self-protection and boundaries. I found through my martial arts training an appreciation for taking care of myself, physically, mentally, and emotionally so I could lead a happy and productive life. I am valuable and important and worth looking out for. At the same time, everyone around me deserves respect too so as I am protecting myself from attacks (verbal, emotional, or physical) I strive to do it in a way that is firm but kind, only escalating if I am out of other, more peaceful alternatives.
Let me share an example…a panhandler came up to me on the street and asked for money. My own personal policy is to donate money to organizations although I will give food or water directly to a panhandler. On that day I didn’t have any food with me to give so I said, “Sorry, nothing to give. Take care.” and I moved on. He allowed me to go and that was the end of the interaction. In another instance, I was recently asked to explain why I had done something in a particular way. While I was in the middle of my brief explanation the other person said, “Well, this is what we are going to do…” and they proceeded to outline how they were going to completely change what I had done. I firmly and kindly interjected by saying, “Just one moment, I am fine if you have input and you would like to see this done differently however it isn’t okay for you to just come in and order me to make the change. We are supposed to be working together here.”
It is very difficult for me to keep emotions in check when dealing with a situation when I feel threatened physically or emotionally and personally I would rather cry then shout at the other person because I don’t generally feel the need to apologize for tears but shouting and raising my voice or saying something I may regret is another matter. In case you didn’t know, crying releases toxins so go ahead and let it out!
There have only been a few times in my life when I feel like I was the recipient of “pre-meditated hurt”, where the person actually planned out exactly what they were going to do as a means of hurting me or something I cared deeply about. I am thankful for that because who wants to deal with someone deliberately trying to hurt you? Most of the time we manage to step on each other’s toes without trying and cause harm unintentionally that can be hard enough to let go of.
In those times when the hurt is pretty major and far-reaching it is much more difficult to let it go. I found a couple things that really have helped me in the past have been:
- Let out the emotion associated with the event or series of events (this includes vigorous exercise; really deep breaths to exhale the anger and get it out; punching a pillow or throwing things – outdoors please!; and primal screaming).
- Make a plan for yourself of how you would keep yourself from ending up in the same situation in the future. (For example, “If we work together in the future I would speak up sooner if things seemed off and trust my intuition.” or “I am willing to see them at functions when other people are there and it is a large gathering but I will not do anything with them by myself.”
- Try to see the situation from their viewpoint. (This doesn’t mean you will agree with their choices, it just means that you can see where they were coming from.)
- Consciously send the person blessings. This is a really important step and the one that is the most critical in moving forward and knowing that you are no longer carrying around your past hurt. Picture them in your head and ask God or the Universe, or whatever your beliefs are to bless that person and be specific. (For example, if you know the person has anger issues, imagine loving arms wrapping them up and them being able to receive that love or if the person has financial concerns imagine money falling from the sky all around them.) You see, you are not actually sending them money or wrapping YOUR arms around them. That is part of setting good boundaries and taking care of yourself.
You may find yourself repeating some or all of the steps and not necessarily in order. Follow your heart. I use this process on both large and small issues and I am proud to say that having gone through it a few times, I do a better job now of communicating up front and deal with fewer problems that have escalated and gotten out of control. It isn’t easy and you need to recognize that by holding on to past hurts you run the risk of creating dis-ease in your body in the future. And as they say, “you are only hurting yourself.”
Donna J Copeland is an Indpendent Shaklee Distributor who hates to see people and animals hurt, whether inflicted by themselves or others. Donna also recommends the book “Dance of Anger” as an excellent resource on setting boundaries. More information on Shaklee is available on her website at: www.Shaklee.net/DonnaCopeland
