5 Things You Can Do When There is Nothing You Can Do

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THIS WEEK'S BLOG POST

2/1/2016

5 Things You Can Do When There is Nothing You Can Do

By Donna Shea

A really dear friend of mine is having a crappy go of it. It isn't minor crap. It's major crap. It's the kind of crap that you really have no control over the fact that it happened or the outcome of it happening. It's the brand of crap that as a friend, you would do almost anything to prevent or fix. But there's nothing you can do to make it go away, solve it or make it any better. Is there anything you can do when there seems there is nothing to be done? I think so.

Be. Be there. Be available. Be ready to answer the call or text and be where he or she needs you to be.
Ask. Ask if he or she wants to talk about it. Ask if he or she doesn't want to talk about it. Ask if there is something that you can do to at least make life a little easier (provide a ride, cook a meal, etc.)
Do. If there is something small that he or she says you can do, do it. Better yet, if your friend doesn't tell you what he or she might need, take a stab at it and do something anyway. Kindness never makes anything worse.
Distract. Sometimes when everything is crap, all you can think about is not what you want to think about. Provide a short period of distraction. Go for coffee. Work on a project. Do something together that feels normal and that has nothing to do with the crap.
Listen. Listen without offering platitudes that everything is going to be hunky dory. Listen without saying that you get it. You probably don't. We all have our loads to bear and everyone's load is different. He or she will listen about your crap on another day. On this day, it's only about his or hers.

Check out more of our blog on HowToMakeAndKeepFriends.com.

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I FEEL MAD! TIPS FOR KIDS ON MANAGING ANGRY FEELINGS

Now available on Amazon.com

I Feel Mad: Tips for Kids on Managing Angry Feelings

contains full color illustrations by artist Ryan Flynn. The beautiful images further enhance the effective tips and make the workbook a must-have for kids who struggle with anger issues.

In the new anger workbook, children will learn:

the anger rule to follow and what they may or may not do when they are feeling angry;
that anger is a normal emotion we all have and that managing anger appropriately is a critical life skill;
how to identify the physical sensations of anger and imple ment strategies before it becomes too hot to handle;
a menu of safe strategies to choose from when angry situations arise; and
effective problem solving skills and specific reactions to replace an angry response.

The How to Make and Keep Friends books are known for providing quick, easy tips for kids that help them with managing their feelings as well as developing friendships. I Feel Mad: Tips for Kids on Managing Angry Feelings is based on the one-of-a-kind "Getting the Mads Out" skill-based workshop that has helped many children learn to manage their angry feelings over the last decade.

Donna Shea, Director of the Peter Pan Center, and Nadine Briggs, Director of Simply Social Kids, are passionate about helping kids make and keep friends. They have dedicated themselves to working with children who experience mild to moderate social difficulties to foster positive social skills and interactions.

Learn More

MORE FROM HOW TO MAKE & KEEP FRIENDS

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

Donna Shea & Nadine Briggs | How to Make & Keep Friends, LLC | Shea 978-413-1965/Briggs 978-764-2758 | E-mail | Website