"The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love."
— Hubert H. Humphrey, American pharmacist and statesman
If a loved one is going through a rough patch, you don’t necessarily have to give them advice or solve their problems; that’s not what they need. All they need is to know that you are there by their side, no matter what.
Just be there for them. Listen to what they have to say without responding. Try to empathize with their pain and challenges. Cheer them up by doing something unrelated to their problem, like getting them their favourite snack. Help out with anything external that might frustrate them.
Simple acts of love are all you need.
"When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about."
— Haruki Murakami, Japanese writer
If you’re going through a challenging time, it may seem like there’s no way out, no solution to your problems. This metaphor from Murakami reminds us of two important truths:
All storms pass with time — your challenges will eventually pass too
When a storm passes, things are much better; it’s night and day — so too will you be after going through your life’s storm
Keeping this in mind will help you find strength when you most need it.
"Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day."
— Alice Morse Earle, American Historian
No day is perfect. In fact, most people will find that every day has at least one thing or moment that they didn’t like.
But that doesn’t mean the whole day is bad. There’s always something good in every day that we can look to for positive feelings. Some simple examples that inspire me:
Eating a delicious fruit
Going for a walk in the sun
Laughing at an online video
Having a fun chat with my partner
Noticing simple pleasures will give you a boost of energy to make each of your days feel bright and good!
What simple pleasures brighten up your day? I’d love to hear about them!