In our house we have a lot of slogans that help keep things a little lighter and more positive when we are feeling anything but. Some we made up and some we stole but they’re all in a regular rotation. Some of them I’m sure you already use in your house too, but I thought I’d share them all in case you might find something new to help you too!

Stressful but Successful:

Dave coined this mantra awhile ago. Our life involves a lot of schlep, sweat and tears. Often all the hard work pays off and an outing is followed by this saying. We thought about making bumper stickers (SBS!) but somehow (?!?) never got around to it.

Nothing to it! or Piece of Cake!: 

We say this when the exact opposite is true. It took everything in us to accomplish whatever “it” was, whether it’s getting out of the house, running an errand, or convincing a child to do something that should be “easy” for most.

Livin’ the Dream:

After a day-in-the-life, Dave will ask how my day was and this will often be the answer, usually with a side of sarcasm. I even found a T-shirt with this one at Kohl’s! I just so happened to be wearing this shirt yesterday when Ben had to get 12 stitches for getting whacked in the head with a golf club!

Embrace the Suck and Move the F@&£ On!:

This one was stolen from the movie “Whisky Tango Foxtrot,” and is much better when you drop the actual F-Bomb. When an injured veteran shared this wisdom with Tina Fey at the end of the movie, Dave and I looked at each other and started bawling. Well maybe that was just me, but Dave definitely teared up. I’m slowly getting to this point of acceptance in our “special” lives. Sometimes it really sucks but we just need to accept it and move on. Easier said than done but a little cursing is always helpful when life is stressful.

Don’t let Monday’s forecast affect Saturday’s fun:

I came up with this one over this past July 4th weekend. If you’ll remember, the meteorologists were predicting Independence Day to be “a total washout…rain all day…terrible!” Of course we had planned a big party at our house with about 30 people planning on attending. I found myself depressed on Saturday, two days before, about how Monday’s party would be ruined. It took awhile but I realized what my mind was doing and that I wasn’t participating in that Saturday’s fun activities because I was worried about the future. I shared this with my therapist (LOVE HER!) and she encouraged me to do the same thing whenever I was worried about the future.

After a less than optimistic orthopedic appointment for Kelsey about a month ago, I was feeling anxious and worrying about her future. I found myself stressing about a surgery that might happen in 5-7 years…about how her peers would accept her…about what equipment she would have to use to walk, etc. We also happened to be leaving for a vacation the next day. A vacation I dream about all year long. So instead of focusing on the excitement of the present I was obsessively worrying about the future. Since my therapist has me working on “being mindful”of my thoughts and how I handle them, I realized what I was doing. No amount of worry could help fix the fears I have for the future, so I might as well snap out of it and enjoy the vacation anticipation. It worked, shockingly so.

These little sayings help me to get through the tough times, to laugh a little and to focus on the present and all the positive we have in our lives.  Well, that plus therapy, booze, coffee and chocolate!

What helps you get through the tough times–big or small?  I’d love to know so I can steal it and use it for myself!