Facing the arrest or imprisonment of a loved one can result in a roller coaster of feelings. Anger, fear, disbelief, shock, and guilt, among others. In the best of situations, it disrupts our daily routines and outlook.
Following are 10 steps you can take to make a positive difference in what you are going through.
- Find Support.
This is the time to connect with others that support you in a nonjudgmental way, free of opinions and advice. This could be with family, friends or a support group of others that have been through similar experiences.
- Continue a daily routine.
There may be days you do not feel like it. Yet maintaining daily tasks and attending to work, family, and other activities will give you both a sense of accomplishment and a sense of purpose.
- Journal, daily or weekly.
Journaling can produce an emotional release and allow you to acknowledge your thoughts and feelings. Writing down your experiences helps you find strength.
- Focus on the here and now.
Take care of what you have the ability to control. Setting daily goals can keep you focused on what’s most important.
- Find strength in your culture, values, and spiritual or religious beliefs.
The most trying times strengthen us.
- Take time daily to nurture feelings of peacefulness.
Reflect, meditate, pray, appreciate what you have in your life. Find pleasure in the little things around you. Nature, pets, funny stories.
- Stay active.
Especially when you do not feel like it. Connect with family and friends, take a walk, do something that provides you satisfaction.
- Maintain a positive attitude.
You can’t escape what you are going through, but you can go through it with your head up.
- Help others.
In our moments of self-doubt and darkness, reaching out and assisting others, whether a family member, friend, or stranger is the best thing we can do to help ourselves.
- Don’t give up hope.
Don’t give up hope.
So much is out of our control. Yet, sometimes bad things happen for good reasons. Recognize that people do change and this might be an opportunity for someone close to you to turn their lives around. At the very least, it is an opportunity for you to make some important changes in your life.