What to do? What to do?

on January 10, 2018 3 comments
What to do? What to do?





A few weeks ago, I was faced with a personal crisis. Given its confidential nature, I do not feel comfortable in publicly sharing the specific details of the problem that unfortunately threatened my peace of mind. However, now that the dust has somewhat settled, I feel sufficiently at ease with the current situation to briefly describe the steps I took in my attempt to expediently resolve this problem.

Even though I am currently living well with my bipolar disorder, I have a tendency to easily become stressed even a little panicky when confronted with circumstances, which at first glance appear beyond my control if not unbearable.

First of all, I reread the unexpected and disturbing email that I had just received to make sure that I clearly understood it. Secondly once I had fully grasped the nature of its contents, I took a few deep breaths and immediately shared it with my spouse who was as surprised as I was when she read it.

Once I had a chance to regain my calm, I decided to quickly contact my lawyer for his advice. This proved to be an extremely positive move since he advised me on how to appropriately respond to the email I had just received.
After emailing my response to the author of the email mentioned earlier, my wife and I felt greatly relieved. Even though I am aware that this may not prove to be the end of an apparently non-ending saga, I am convinced that eventually justice will prevail.
What have I learned from this experience? First of all, controlling my breathing proved to be vital to swiftly regain my composure. Secondly, immediately seeking the support of my wife, my primary confident, permitted me to talk things through rationally and obtain the emotional support I required to take the next steps. Thirdly, contacting my lawyer whose advice proved crucial and reassuring gave me the courage to prepare a reasonable response to the dilemma I was faced currently with.

In conclusion,  I have once again learned the undeniable value of doing one’s best to remain calm when faced with particularly stressful situations and to never hesitate to reach out to loved ones, friends and suitable professionals for support, advice and guidance. Our own mental well-being and peace of mind are definitely worth protecting and nurturing at all costs.

This blog is also available in French: Quoi faire? Quoi faire?


 

About the author: Raymond Tremblay

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Raymond Tremblay as Santa Claus with students from Carleton University.

Raymond lives well with bipolar disorder, and is a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. He is also a prolific writer, having self-published seventeen collections of poetry, largely on issues of homelessness. Raymond has a strong affinity to social welfare issues. He has had a fruitful career with both municipal and provincial organizations, including the Ontario Ministry of Health, based in Kingston Psychiatric Hospital, where he served for 20 years as, first, Director of Social Work Services, and later, as Coordinator of Community Development.

 

(Paul Galipeau/lechampiondumonde.com)

(Credit: Paul Galipeau)

Featured blog posts by Raymond Tremblay:

In Search of a New Family Physician?

Bipolar Disorder: My Creativity’s Muse

Facing the Unexpected with the Support of Others

And What If?

 





Learn more about his latest book “Celebrating the True Spirit of Christmas“:



3 Comments on “What to do? What to do?”

  1. Thank you for sharing your experience and successful reaction to a situation that might have blown up in everyone’s life. “Calm is a super power”… a quote I came across a few days ago, certainly rings true in your scenario. I do hope you are enjoying your well earned holiday “Santa”.

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