Trying to find direction after a cardiac event. I discuss how to be able to take action on your unique path of life you need to have direction and focus.
When our life changes it can feel uncertain and we feel vulnerable. By having direction and taking action we are able to develop and grow so that we can enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.
Sometimes we know what and where we want to go but then we get stuck and never move forward. In this episode, you’ll find out what really makes the difference so you can travel in the right direction after a cardiac event.
To hear more click the player below or listen on your favourite app: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, TuneIn+Alexa or many more.
Episode takeaways
- What it means to have direction after a cardiac event
- Why direction a very important state of mind for action
- Try, adjust and try again
- What else can help you get direction
- Get direction by taking action activity
- You have permission to change your mind
- What thoughts might stop you using the own today activity and what you can do to change them
Free resources
- Download my FREE Audio File – Relaxation, Direction and Just Do It. Preparing you with relaxation, showing you direction and enabling you to take action.
- Join me on Facebook in the My Heart & Mind Community
If you prefer a read, here’s the transcript.
Trying to find direction after a cardiac event
At certain times in your life, for a variety of different reasons, often completely out of the blue, your life can take a massive shift. You can find yourself looking at a very different future. Finding direction after a cardiac event is fundamental as you recover and move forward to the rest of your life.
During cardiac rehabilitation, there are many changes to your future. From your medication to quitting smoking. Modifying diets and changing stress levels not to mention regular exercise. At first, after discharge from the hospital, I was overwhelmed with it all. I had no directions and not a clue how to start, let alone what the destination was.
It’s about knowing your path, the direction you want to take. Your overall goal, where to start, the steps to take, what is needed to achieve it and the support that you will need.
Let’s create a beginning of the journey working out your direction after a cardiac event.
Taking action on your unique path in life
When our lives take an unexpected turn, it isn’t just the here and now that changes but our futures too! This is my definition of direction. It’s to start creating the life you want is, choosing something that takes you forward to where you want to be. You start with one thing, something small, anything at all. Then the achievement and self-discovery will give you the momentum to move forward. Move you to a place where you want to be. To create your new future.
Finding direction after a cardiac event
When our life changes we lose the instructions on how to find a particular place. That place is usually what the expectation of our future is. There are so many new instructions that we can be easily confused.
It seems as if the position of where we are in life has shifted and we are on unstable ground. We have so many lifestyle changes to make it can seem overwhelming. Almost impossible to manage.
We lose the ability to find our place in our new life or to know which direction to go in to find our place of being.
A winning tactic – just do it
Direction a very important state of mind. Knowing where to start and what I needed to do achieve to get where I wanted. It had been a stressful physical and emotional period. I needed to focus on the next steps for wellness. What I wanted was clear to me but like when you’re on a journey, I needed a map or a Satnav to help me find my way.
All things start in the mind, our wishes, our dreams and goals. Even if it seems right now unachievable or unrealistic trust your instincts. If it feels right, if it feels good then take the first step towards it.
Become determined. Yes, there may be setback and failure along the way, but you can succeed if you try, adjust and try again.
Finding and following your direction shouldn’t be a struggle. When you are determined, have grit and a positive mindset action will naturally be with you.
Direction & focus
Having a direction in life helps us stay focussed. It keeps us moving towards the feelings that make us feel good. I don’t believe it is ‘things’ in life that make us happy, it is ‘experiences’ that make us feel good. Of course, you may want a Gucci watch. But it’s not the actual watch causes your happiness. It is the having it, what it means to you, how you feel when you see, feel or think about it.
It’s the same with life after a cardiac event it’s not just the fact that we survived that makes us happy. It’s what we do and what we experience that will truly bring us joy and rather than just survive we will thrive.
Your actions don’t have to be massive; you don’t have to achieve the final outcome straightaway. My dad, Colin Wilson, always said to me when I was young, ‘inch by inch is a synch, yard by yard is hard’.
Emotional rehabilitation
My mission is to help you with emotional rehabilitation. To give you practical tools, tips and tricks that you can easily use in your life that make a real difference to the way you feel. I want you to feel good now.
Is the car ready and waiting outside? Are you sitting there with a map, you know where you want to go, how to get there and you’re waiting just to arrive?
Well, you’re going to have a long wait as you will need to take action to get anywhere.
Either get up and drive or get up and get a ride one way or another that’s the only way it’s going to happen. Well until we get matter transporters – beam me up Scotty!
Finding direction in life is not something that happens to you, it’s something you create. Like the journey, I just mentioned. It means that, at some point, you’re going to have to stop thinking about taking action and actually do it.
Go Do It
The process ~ To get direction take action
1. Take a little while to list down all the things that you want to do that you haven’t done yet.
Maybe things you’ve been thinking about and planning a lot?
Ideas that have just been a passing thought of ‘I’d like to do that’.
They don’t all have to be earth-shatteringly fantastic, like a dream holiday or moving across the country.
It should include those tasks that you mean to do around the house. Something like rearranging furniture, decorating or emptying out the kitchen cupboards.
How about changing to a healthy eating regime or taking regular exercise?
Starting a new hobby or finishing off something you’ve started.
By taking action you create more options and choices. You gain new information and you learn lessons. Some good, some less than good but most of all you feel like you are moving in the right direction.
One of the main reasons you may not want to act is that you’re scared. Scared of messing up, scared of it not working out. Perhaps scared it might go wrong and scared of finding out that what you thought was “right” isn’t right for you at all.
You have permission to change your mind
2. Choose one item off your list
Ask yourself what’s stopping you from moving in that direction.
Listen to the first things that come to mind and jot them all down.
Look at the list of barriers, things that stop you, negative or limited thoughts. What evidence do you have to support them?
If there is any evidence then what can you do to change it so you can move in that direction? How can they be removed, gone under, over or around?
If nothing can change the facts or it is out of your control, then park that item for now and choose another.
3. Just do it.
Decide and take action. Set a date, time and place.
4. Enjoy moving in the right direction, right now.
Remember it’s your life, you can change your mind
Just because you started to take action doesn’t mean you’re committed forever.
If it doesn’t work out, that’s great, you will have learnt something of value. You will also know that you need to do something different and try something else.
Taking action, living, learning and adapting is life. There will always be some growth out of all your experiences. Coming out the other side with knowledge, know-how and wisdom is life. It’s far better to do something than nothing.
Your challenge
Give it a go! I have created a short 10-minute Audio Download 005 – Relaxation, Direction & Just Do It. It will help you create a sense of direction after a cardiac event and prepare you to take action, to ‘do it’.
Start small, take baby steps, it’s like strengthening a muscle. Get the feel-good vibe and grow the habit.
1. Choose one item off your list
2. Listen to your free download …. then
3. Just do it.
Action
✨ FREE TO JOIN ✨
My Heart & Mind, Emotional Cardiac Rehab Community
Don’t keep it to yourself, let me know how you get on, and share with me what your one thing was and how it felt doing it. If you want us to hold you accountable let us know what it is and update us when you’ve completed it.
What thoughts could get in the way?
💜 I don’t feel ready for this yet.
That is okay totally fine. Whilst the six stages are interchangeable the direction mindset is usually one for a later down the line. It’s not easy to find direction after a cardiac event. Do you remember my story about only being able to answer my emails for a short period of time? It took me a while to get to that point. To be able to take that action (both physically and emotionally). Taking action to get direction is something that most people take for granted. It’s part of everyday existence. Be gentle with yourself.
Free support and resources as the beat goes on … one moment at a time.
