She Carried On

My friend lost her husband to a heart attack a few weeks ago. I wrote this short poem for her. Just thought I’d share:

 

 

 

 

 

She Carried On
By Patricia Potts
Dedicated to Margaret Millom

And so it was
That she carried on…
Despite the loss, despite the stress, despite the hills ahead…
She carried on
With fellow saints.
Onward, upward, with true grit and courage
Born of deep faith and countless hours and days
Of storing up the words of her Lord, the words of her leaders, the words of her heart
She carried on.
She tucked precious memories
Within the recesses of her heart…
And carried on.

patriciapotts.com Newsletter for July

Patricia’s newsletters are also available on her website: patriciapotts.com
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Turning Darkness to Light

Whether you are having a down day
Or experiencing the darkness of Bipolar or Depression
Patricia Potts is Changing and brightening YOUR world
one step at a time…one idea at a time…
with ideas,experiences, and inspirational stories including her
VOICES OF HOPE video series to help you go from feelings of darkness to feelings of light.

You never need feel alone!

Junly 2009
Table of Contents:
ANNOUNCING NEW TABS!
You are Invited
New Ideas/Blogs/ and more:
Question and Answers:
What People are Saying:

Patriciapotts.com

To be included on our email list simply email me at patripotts@mstarmetro.net
“I love to be shared with others. That’s how I help spread light and hope” – Patricia’s Newsletter 
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A newsletter all about Changing and brightening YOUR world one step at a time…one idea at a
time… through books, recordings, videos and more!
January 10, 2009 Issue #3
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ANNOUNCING:
TWO NEW TABS ON PATRICIAPOTTS.COM !!

QUESTION AND ANSWERS: Here you will find 36 questions commonly asked by those going through discouragement, depression and bipolar disorder. I have invited a panel of experts to address these questions. They are individuals who have experienced their own depressions and found answers. An author, a therapist and a NAMI (National Alliance for Mentally Ill) expert join me as we share hope, knowledge and answers.

MEDICATIONS AND OPTIONAL SUPPLIMENTS:
I am not an expert on medication, however, many have asked if there are supplements they can try before going the route of medication or use with the medication they are presently taking. This tab is dedicated to collecting data you can evaluate on your own with your physician or psychiatrist.

I love to hear from my readers. If you have had experiences negative or positive with medication or suppliments, please send me an email at Patripotts@mstarmetro.net.

I have a question:
One of our readers has a teenage son who is suffering from bipolar. He would like to reach out to another teen who is successfully managing his bipolar illness. Please could you write back at Patripotts@mstarmetro.net

You’re Invited….
I will be performing at the Legacy Retirement Center the afternoon of July 31st. Let me know if you would like to come. Patripotts@mstarmetro.net

New Ideas/Blogs/ and more

I ran across a great slideshow on ENERGY FOODS! Check it out!
http://www.webmd.com/diet/slideshow-energy-mood-boost-diet

What People are Saying
(Feedback from emails etc.)
You truly are an amazing person and one of those success stories that I’m looking for. I hope that my son can be one of those too. – D.

Dear Patricia,
Thanks for putting my hopeful video on your website. It was amazing how I was able to detach from my own words and learn from them. Even though I know my own thoughts and I was completely honest, my perspective on my trials seems less dire, as if I’m someone else, more wise and god-like, saying, “Of course you can make it through this!”
Maybe I should video myself often! – Gwendolyn Larsen
http://www.patriciapotts.com/Vids.html

Dear Patricia,
Thanks for writing your book! I’m sure that you are helping lots of people.
I am very amazed at how you share such embarrassing and personal info openly. That takes lots of confidence! People feel more willing to share their own uncomfortable, but necessary-to-heal, info in such an environment.
Love, Gwendolyn

You are so wonderful doing all these uplifting things and helping so many people. Maybe someday I will be able to help others with what I have learned like you. By the way, you have taught me so much!!! I would love to view your newsletter L.C.

There is a member of our church in Utah who is bipolar and who has a stepson who is bipolar. She knows what depression is all about. She has a very uplifting website and tries to help people with songs, hopeful stories, thoughts, etc. I just thought you might want to check it out. Any light in the storm is helpful when we’re going through these rough times. Her website is: patripotts@mstarmetro.net. I hope that Michael is feeling better. D.
–

–
Till next time-
Thanks for spending time with us.
 Patricia

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My Journey from Darkness to Light can be purchased at several locations
in Salt Lake City (total cost with tax is $10.52).
Call first to see if they are open. Some are home businesses:

Potts Enterprises – 888 Walden Hills Drive Murray, Utah (879-3427)
Striking Image Salon – 3636 Wendell Drive South Salt Lake (759-2154)
Shirlaynes Health Food Store – 5578 South Redwood Road (982-0305)
Elite Massage – 560 W 5300 S Murray, UT 84123 (801) 261-7474
Roger Larson – physical therapist- 6040 South Fashion Blvd. 266-7534

If you would like to offer my books on consignment at your place of business please email Patricia at patripotts@mstarmetro.net
You Are Invited to
• Subscribe to all our new youtube presentations. Simply click on the yellow box at the left: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRkt5Rd547M
• Add yourself to my facebook friends. I am having a lot of fun touching basis with old friends there. It’s also fun to just be candid!
• Join a support group. The ones I have enjoyed are 12 step, heart to heart and NAMI (see Referrals tab on my website.) For more info. Write me at patripotts@mstarmetro.net
• Send a story or article to me for our blog “From Darkness to Light”. Email it to patripotts@mstarmetro.net

Check out over 35 blogs (with a great search engine) with helpful topics found at:
https://fromdarknesstolight.wordpress.com/

Small Ideas Making a Big Difference in going from Anxiety to Peace

“My medicine isn’t kicking in like it should. I am cycling from depression to grandiose ideas. This bipolar stinks! Do you have any ideas?” My friend anxiously asked.

As we talked there were three main ideas that came to my mind:
1. Ponder Pages
2. Prayer by Prayer
3. “Leaf”ing negative feelings behind

Ponder pages: Having a place for ideas/goals/should-dos in a notebook or planner or PDA can be invaluable. When ideas about what you should or want to do come (often in a torrent) write them down, committing yourself to prayerfully think about them in a quiet moment (doing laundry, dishes, driving etc.) I have often found that by the time I ponder on it I no longer have the desire to do it, I realize that it isn’t the right time or I have ideas about how it can become a reality.

Prayer by prayer
This is more fully described in my book My Journey from Darkness to Light. Basically I have learned that when I begin to feel overwhelmed it helps to:
A. Stop what I’m doing
B. Pray for help
C. Tell the Lord what I feel I need to/should be doing (I usually look at my planner and name 4-5 most pressing things)
D. I rub my hands together as if I had sand between my palms and the sand represents the pressures I am feeling. In a sense I let the sand (pressures) fall from my palms into the hands of my Savior leaving me with open hands ready to listen to what my Savior wants me to do.
E. Ask to know what HE wants me to do
F. At this point either (1) I have 2-3 ideas come back to me (often my thoughts include simple things like eat, take my meds and one of my 5 ideas) or (2) I don’t have any specific impressions but I am able to return to my list with less pressure and choose more wisely the things I can do that will bring me the greatest peace and happiness

“Leaf”ing negative feelings behind
I have explained this concept through youtube. It can be found on my website http://www.patriciapotts.com/Vids.html . It is also described in my book My Journey from Darkness to Light. This is a form of cognitive therapy that is quick, easy and efficient.

Negative/Pressure Thoughts Feeling Can I know this is totally true? Talk back

The house is a mess Overwhelmed, guilty, fearful No Maybe it isn’t as clean as I like but it’s not a total mess!
She is not answering her phone. She doesn’t want to talk to me. Sad, hurt, guilty No I am mind-reading. Her phone may be having trouble. I can pray and call a mutual friend.

These simple ideas can be the difference between anxiety and peace. May they bless your life like they have mine.

Recipe for Analyzing Dreams

Recipe for Analyzing Dreams

Have you ever woken up with strong feelings of being overwhelmed or feeling fear, guilt or anger because of a dream?

I have.

Through the years I have developed a recipe for analyzing dreams based on research and my own personal experiences.  I hope this helps you as much as it does me:

Dream Recipe

Pray and ask for wisdom to understand what your dream means to you then write down:

1. A list of the emotions generated through your dream (fearful, guilty, excited, angry etc.)
2. A list of people who where in the dream (Yourself, family members, stranger descriptions etc.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     3. A list of prominate things or places in your dream (garage, street, at work etc.)

Now you are ready to analyze what it has to do with your life.  Ask yourself:

1. Where in real life are you feeling those feelings?
2. Are you experiencing those feelings with the people in your dream?
3. Do you have negative/excited feelings about the things/places you saw in your dream?     

    You may be surprised at how much insight you can gather as you prayerfull write your answers down.      

The first dream I analyzed had a real impact on my life.  I was caught in a window well with a spider headed straight for me.  Here is how I analyzed it:

Feelings: fear, panic

People: Me, the spider

Places/Things: window well, window

REAL LIFE:

Feelings: I was feeling overwhelmed and fearful about my schedule.  I was stretched to the max as a young mother, a daycare provider and a wife.

People: As I prayed and pondered about it I felt that the spider represented the demands in my life: my own demands, my husbands expectations, my children, the daycare children, church responsibilities etc.

Places/things: I began realizing that the window well was one I could see from the basement when I was doing daycare activities.  It represented being stuck in a rock and a hard place and being unable to escape to freedom.

When I got to this point I could see that something had to change.  I began examining my committments and letting goe of some of my expectations about keeping house, about the number of children I took in my daycare and I talked to Dan about his actual expectations. 

Within a few weeks I made these changes and I was able to reduce my stress and my feeling that I was caught between a window well and it’s window. 

Over the years I have used this formula and included my dreams in my journal.  I have found that the Lord communicates with us in many ways and sometimes it’s in our dreams.  I hope you enjoy trying out this new recipe and I hope it brings you sweet results!

I WANT to be thankful but…

Years ago I attended an event where LaDawn Jacobs, former Mrs. Utah, said “One cannot be grateful and depressed at the same time.”

Her words stuck with me and through the years they have revisited me in various forms. A few years ago my daughter, Tiffany, created a beautiful “Grateful Journals” where she wrote 10 things she was thankful for each day.

As I tried to follow her example I found that I often found things that I WANTED to be thankful for, but I wasn’t yet.

After all, the bible says “Thank we God without ceasing…” 1 Thes. 2:13. It doesn’t say “Thank we God without ceasing—unless you are in the middle of a pity party, having a hard time or experiencing a less-than-cheerful mood.”

My daughter, Cindy, had a “want to be thankful for” day yesterday. Her day included going to the hospital with one child for 7:00 A.M. tests after only sleeping a few hours because Divit, the dog, kept itching herself, and waking up when Michael had growing pains and Tiarra had a fever. As her day continued she received a call from the elementary school to say that Tiarra’s temperature had reached 103.7 and she took her to the doctors carting 1 year old Joshua along. Later she dropped a mayonnaise jar sending a small piece of glass up to break the cell phone she was holding (what were the chances?) After all that she found out that her phone company wouldn’t cover the freak accident … well, you get the idea. It was nearly impossible for her to be thankful for all these things, so we had a prayer together over the phone and prayed “Lord, we WANT to be thankful for these trials, but we’re just not there yet!” Somehow I can imagine our loving Father smiling and saying “It is tough right now but someday it will sure make a good blog!.” Then bless her for her willingness to look heavenward despite her challenges.

And so I have my thankful sessions. Some comments are genuine “thank-yous” and others are “want to be thank-you’s.” as I take one more preventative step in my goal to STAY SANE (or at least appear that way. Haha!)

Danger: Nervous Mother in for Repair!!

The kids are fighting, the soup is burning, the carpet looks gray instead of beige and I am on the verge of crying. Why did I get myself into this mess?

Such was a day my life as a young mom. In desperation I cut out a stop sign out of white paper and wrote in bold, black marker: “DANGER!! Nervous Mother in for Repair!” I then told my kids that I had to have at least 10 – 15 minutes alone before I exploded! I stuck the sign on my bedroom door with scotch tape and listened to the peaceful sound of the door knob clicking as it closed me into my bedroom and I threw myself face up on the unmade bed.

Peace was short lived, however, as pleas of “Mommy, open the door!”, “This isn’t funny!” and “Heidi pulled my hair!” infiltrated through the space at the bottom of the door. My choice to take 10 – 15 minutes 2 – 3 times a day during the next few weeks continued to bring bangs and whines like storms, that threatened to invade my home. Yet, like storms, as my determination to take “repair time” continued, the storms began to decline and finally gave way as the kids realized that when I came out of the room I was a much nicer mom. The real proof of the success of the idea was when my daughter said “Maybe you need time out mom!”

It has been many years since I wrote that first sign. Now my daughters have children of their own and use signs of their own. And so, my stress-reduction tip for the day today is:
WHEN LIFE GETS TOUGH AND PEACE GROWS THIN
PUT OUT YOUR SIGN AND GO IN!

Quick, Creative Ideas that can boost your energy by 35%!!!-Patriciapotts.com

No, I haven’t done a full, double blind study BUT I have learned by my own experience, by my observations as a guitar teacher and the experiences of those around me that there is a connection between creativity and energy. There is often a connection between creativity and spirituality as well!!

So, here is a list of 5 -10 minute ideas I keep handy that I try to intersperse in my day and help me find more joy, energy and progress!! I simply work a while then refresh a bit then continue the routine.

Try it then please email me to let me know how it works for you!

Instructions:
1. Copy the list below
2. Begin with a deep breath and stretch upward then choose one of the following activities that appeal to you. Even 5 minutes can make a big difference!

– Read a book (novel or otherwise) page or two
– Do stretches or muscle resistant exercises
– Do something fun with a child
– Jump on the tramp
– Play with your dog
– Dance to a song you love or are trying to learn (who cares if the people in the other cubicles stare at you! You may start a trend!)
– Sew, crochet, quilt (men, that includes you. Don’t be shy. Try it, you may find you like it!)
– Sing at the top of your lungs
– Work on memorizing a song
– Unclutter a shelf/drawer/dresser top that bugs you
– Relax, close your eyes and visualize something you hope for and want to see happen. See yourself in the future experiencing your hope/dream/goal.
(I love hammocks so I drew a tiny hammock on a paper with other hopes/dream/goals then during my visualization time I saw myself swinging on a beige colored hammock. Recently I received a beige and maroon hammock for my birthday!! I wanted to write a book telling my story so I imagined myself holding it while sitting on a carrousel. This month I discovered a carrousel at a resort Dan and I was able to have pictures taken with me holding my book!) One caution I would add is to choose goals that don’t involve getting others to do what you want. I planned to earn my hammock, having it come as a gift was a big bonus!

– Spend a little cuddle-time with a loved one
– call a friend
– visit a neighbor
– Go for a short walk
– (30 min.) Take a bath or go in the hot tub
– Catch up on emails
– Write in your journal
– bake something to share
– Learn something (I’m on a marketing/computer learning curve)
– Art: Draw color or sketch something…anything!
– Work on a gift for someone
– Pray: Ask God to help you know who you can serve, give a note to, write an email etc.
– Keep adding to this list as you come up with more ideas…

Moving My Own Mound -patriciapotts.com

Mounds of dirt and debris lay on an unused lot like the rounded backs of a elephants.  I thought of other mounds from memories of yesteryear…

 

        One night after three long months of depression, I had trouble sleeping.  Once again I asked myself why it was taking me so long to get better and why I was such a slow learner.  Once again I wondered if I would ever live a normal life.  When sleep finally began to overtake me, I had a dream.  In the dream, I was walking around the base of a large mountain of dirt.  As I walked, I sensed a guide, a tall man dressed in a white robe near my side.  He gestured to various persons who were each moving dirt from their individual mounds near the base of the mountain, onto the mountain itself.  “What are they doing?” I asked.

          “Each person has his own mound to move before his life is over,” he explained.  Upon closer observation I could see that some had spoons to move their mounds, some shovels and others funny looking scoops. Some were aided by wheel barrows, others by buckets and still others by only shovels.  Some piles were made up of regular dirt, others of sand and others of clay.  Some piles were just a few steps from the mountain and others were several yards away.

          “Where is the justice?” I asked as I surveyed the scene before me. The guide didn’t respond to my thought at first, but I soon observed that the people who spent their time leaning on their shovels while comparing their lot with others didn’t get much done.  They often, however, succeeded in drawing others into their complaint sessions.

          The individuals who were succeeding in their task were the ones who wasted no time comparing or complaining.  They concentrated on the task at hand, thankful for what they had, trusting that their task was tailor-made for them.

          When I awoke, I realized the folly of my own wasted effort in comparing myself with others and with the way I was before my depression. The real trick now would be persuading my heart and soul to believe what my head now understood.

 

Excerpt from My Journey from Darkness to Light by Patricia Potts

Codependent Bookmark: From Darkness to Light

 

• Except when instructed by the spirit take your love

 to your loved one, your frustrations to the Lord.

• If what your doing hasn’t worked the first 1000 times

 why do you think it will work the 1001^st time?

• Teach him true principles then respect his right to choose
• Do what we can to help him feel a part of the family
• Am I honoring his agency and letting life teach their lessons?
• Men are that they might be free to choose liberty and eternal

 life or captivity and death.

• Don’t worry.  The world will teach him. My efforts won’t

speed up the process but they may slow it down!

• He values sleep, play and friends. W value integrity, work

 and family. We may not agree with him right now but perhaps

 by accepting him where he’s at I may be able to stop judging and

start allowing him to be on mile 2 instead of expecting mile 5.

• Forgive him, Father, for he knows not what he does.
• It is as it is…it cannot be otherwise
• It is not my job to compel, coerce or prod
• War didn’t humble them- only famine did
• Remember the prodigal’s son.
• Every knee shall bend…
• They (the rebels) will return unto me.
• He granteth  unto men according to their

Desires.

For more help see patriciapotts.com or you

can purchase My Journey from Darkness to Light

through Amazon.com. 

Look! I’m On youtube!

3 Stages of Overcoming Loss and Depression

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