A thought came to me last night and it was about coping. I was going to tweet about it, but I decided to just write a blog post on it to provide more clarity on this subject matter.

This piece will also segue into track and field sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson, who’s currently in the news for failing a drug test. I came across the story while I was writing this and saw it as relevant to include. Keep reading.

Life can get tough, and in both the highs and lows that this life is certain to bring, the only thing we can control is how we respond. We must remain cognizant of the fact that it’s vital for us to be in control of our emotions, what we say, what we do and how all of this is being done—remembering to act out of logic > emotion while also not neglecting how we feel and doing what works best for us by being patient, gentle and honest with ourselves simultaneously.

I filmed a video about a week ago titled “7 Ways to Be in a Better Mood” that goes more in-depth on this topic, so be on the lookout for that via my YouTube channel once it’s time to upload it.

Coping with difficult things faced in life to alleviate (not ignore) the pain, circumstances and relationships with others can bring, helps make it more manageable to heal and get through.

Notice I said ‘not ignore’ because as I mentioned earlier, being honest with ourselves is key to knowing what you do to cope, why, and disciplining yourself with it.

Also know that coping mechanisms are needed, natural, and works to your benefit in your overall well-being… so as long as you’re not letting it control you nor interfere with others in a negative way. It’s also wise to beware of any unhealthy codependent relationships you have with certain things/behaviors…

What are ways people cope?

Coping comes in so many forms, sometimes unbeknownst to one that a certain activity or way of doing a thing is in fact: a coping mechanism toward something they’re trying to deal with effectively. Often times, if not careful, it can turn into a crutch or addiction.

When you think about it, every thing we do in Life is basically a “coping mechanism” because we’re aiming to MANAGE LIFE AND ACHIEVE WHAT WE NEED & DESIRE.

My original tweet was gonna go somewhat along the lines of:

You just ate a whole row of Oreos or a family size bag of Doritos because you’re emotionally eating,

Gave your sexual energy to someone who doesn’t deserve your energy because you’re used to being taken advantage of, thus using them for your own reasons to get what you want/need,

Masturbated without intention just to fulfill a feeling,

Smoked or drank 1 too many because it alters your mind to a space you find solace in and you wanna stay there,

You spend too much money because you’re in desperate need of something of value to be given to you,

Posted on social media because, like a cat, we all need some form of attention and you want a thought of yours or your presence acknowledged,

You’re a workaholic out of fear of being broke or have no other outlet to exert your energy,

You sleep all day to avoid facing reality or your dreams are more interesting than your waking Life at the moment,

the list of examples could go on…

The point is… I guarantee that there is something you do in some way shape or form that’s a coping mechanism to bring some sense of joy into your Life, so not only is this a reminder to look back at yourself… have empathy when hearing or seeing what someone else does, especially when you don’t agree with it—which you don’t have to.

Matter of fact, below are some screenshots from a beautiful conversation I was having with someone not too long ago (only showing what I wrote that’s relevant to this topic):

SEGWAY

I told y’all in a previous blog post that I don’t do newsy reporting anymore. So, I can’t give you too much background on Sha’Carri Richardson. Keep reading tho, I’ve been seeing her trend lately and did some research for the purposes of writing the rest of this blog post.

From what I do know and have seen on my social media feed within the past couple of weeks… she’s runner, she’s a track star…not running away when it gets hard lol

I had to… ok, focus.

…those words are from a song, if you’re unaware.

Simply put, Sha’Carri has been heavily acknowledged for her athletic talent in the Black Excellence manner that she is after winning the women’s 100-meter race at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June.

Following that win was a drug test she failed due to testing positive for marijuana, which is what she’s currently in the news about at the time of this blog post being written. She’s been suspended for 1 month.

In a nutshell, she’s a 21 year old woman who smokes weed for reasons she knows, which she gives insight on in her interview with TODAY.

Though ~technically~ she doesn’t owe an explanation to anyone about her use, she stood her ground with grace when detailing the situation since it violates the rules & regulations of her newly acclaimed career.

Watch her interview with TODAY in the 2 clips below or in full on YouTube.

Folks on social media are bringing their outlook and opinions on the entire situation… From marijuanna not being a performing enhancing drug—a cheat code in the world of sports—to lighthearted jokes about her ability to still run fast and do what she does best even though she partakes, and the entire stigma around cannabis use in itself and the controversial laws and job testings that surround the plant.

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