Down in the mouth? Try a Faith-lift

Funeral Industry News October 8, 2009
CDFuneralNews

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Down in the mouth? Try a Faith-lift

imageWe all have our ?down? times. If we didn?t there would be something seriously wrong with the way we approach life. As funeral professionals, the down times often come when we are plunged into the depths of other peoples suffering and if we are not aware, we can easily be caught up in their misfortune. The simplest of tasks can become gargantuan and sleep can elude us when we are dealing with the aftermath of stillbirth, SIDS, murder or suicide. It doesn?t take much for the subconscious to be overwhelmed.

Each funeral professional that I am aware of has their unique way of dealing with the ?down times?. Some use a healthy approach, others do not. In days gone by I recall vividly the most common way of dealing with them involved alcohol and marijuana. Too many of my colleagues lost themselves in the solace of booze or drugs and too few turned inward for solutions. Back then, seeking the advice of a Counsellor was akin to checking into the Psych ward for the weekend. Today?s funeral director knows better and often human resources people are available within company structures. There is no stigma attached to the process as there was in my day. In my day you only sought help after you had ?lost it? or ?weren?t cut from the right cloth?.

Today we are being encouraged to pursue all manner of approaches to working out problems, but the cheapest of all is what I call a ?Faith-lift?. Last night my wife and I watched a Joan Rivers Roast and I became painfully aware of ways that FACELIFTS can go wrong, but faith-lifts are a completely different story. You need not be a card carrying adherent to any one following to be a candidate for a faith-lift and therin lies the beauty and simplicity of the concept.

Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, or prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives. I have dealt with some of the most difficult issues in my life while practising the gentle discipline of tai-chi. As a regular church goer I find comfort in the sense of community that surrounds me when I am attending my church home, surrounded by my faith family. In quiet times of prayer I often find a calmness and peace that has been lost in my ?busy-ness? also spelled business.

In driving or commuting times, use relaxation techniques that ground your senses and avoid destructive behaviours that complicate your life.

Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. Smile and laugh more and keep in touch with your family and friends on a regular basis. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Employing one or two of the above ideas can make a huge difference in the way you handle the crises that families bring with them to the arrangement office. Are you feeling a little down in the mouth? Try a faith-lift! Each of you knows what that means in your terms of reference. Good luck. It works.

Article By: Randy McCormick