The pep talk you need to give "you"

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 19, 2021

When I was young, I was a jock...and a klutz. Never a good combination but I loved to do several things. My favorite was swimming. I swam a mile a night, then worked at the YMCA as a lifeguard. I remember listening to a swim coach giving his pep talk to the opposing team.

He looked every single one of them in the eye and said things to them, they ended up telling themselves.

If you have someone telling you they believe in you, then you end up believing in yourself. Isn't it time for you to start doing it because you do believe you can?

Tell yourself you can heal PTSD and then you'll find a way to do it. There is an abundance of resources online for you to find and in your own community. 

Listen to the video for today and then listen to the featured video by Des'ree You Got To Be.

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD

You Gotta Be

Des'ree 

Listen as your day unfolds

Challenge what the future holds

Try and keep your head up to the sky

Lovers, they may cause you tears

Go ahead, release your fears

Stand up and be counted

Don't be ashamed to cry

You gotta be

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Herald what your mother said

Read the books your father read

Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time

Some may have more cash than you

Others take a different view

My oh my, eh, eh, eh

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Time asks no questions, it goes on without you

Leaving you behind if you can't stand the pace

The world keeps on spinning

Can't stop it if you tried to

The best part is danger staring you in the face, oh

Remember, listen as your day unfolds

Challenge what the future holds

Try and keep your head up to the sky

Lovers, they may cause you tears

Go ahead release your fears

My oh my, eh, eh, eh

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Yeah, yeah, yeah

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Yeah-yeah

Got to be bold

Got to be bad

Got to be wise

Do what others say

Got to be hard

Not too too hard

All I know is love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Des'ree Weekes / Ashley Ingram

You Gotta Be lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd. 

we will get by we will survive

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 18, 2021

This morning I had a tune in my head and just a few words of a song, "we will get by we will survive."
At first I thought it was the name of the song. Apparently, a lot of people must have thought the same thing beause when I used Google to search for it, it had a differnt name. Touch Of Grey by Grateful Dead came up.

I didn't remember who sang it, but I rememberd how that song made me feel. I didn't remember the lyrics, other than that simple message about surviving, but I remember how it changed my frame of mind.

We tend to do that as simple humans. We may not remember who gave us hope when we needed it, but we remember how it felt to feel it again. We may not remember what someone said that changed our day, but the next time we see that person, we smile. We may not even remember how many people came to help us survive what caused PTSD, but we sure do remember what it was like when help showed up when we needed it the most.

When you watch the video, there is a something in it that reminded me of what it can be like living with PTSD. Without giving the video away, during their concert, they change from being one way, into another, and then back to the way they were before. Having PTSD can be like that too. You go from life as you knew it, to changing and maybe feeling like you're not totally alive. Maybe you need to hide your pain? But when you heal, you go back to enjoying life again. Much like the crowd enjoyed seeing their faces.

You can deliver a message of doom and gloom to others or you can give them one of "we will get by...we will survive" and then help them get there. My bet is you'll take the second option because you not only remember how they felt, you also remember what it was like to find hope and heal!

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD 

Touch of Grey

Grateful Dead

Must be getting early clocks are running late

Faint light of the morning sky looks so phony

Dawn is breaking everywhere

Light a candle curse the glare

Draw the curtains I don't care 'cause it's alright

I will get by I will get by

I will get by I will survive

I see you've got your fist out say your piece and get out

Yes I get the gist of it but it's alright

Sorry that you feel that way the only there is to say

Every silver lining's got a touch of grey

I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive

It's a lesson to me the eagles and the beggars and the seas

The ABC's we all must face try to keep a little grace

It's a lesson to me the deltas and the east and the freeze

The ABC's we all think of and try to win a little love

I know the rent is in arrears the dog has not been fed in years

It's even worse than it appears but it's alright

Cow's giving kerosene, kid can't read at seventeen

The words he knows are all obscene but it's alright

I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive

The shoe is on the hand that fits, there's really nothing much to it

Whistle through your teeth and spit 'cause it's alright

Oh well a touch of grey kinda suits you anyway

And that was all I had to say and it's alright

I will get by I will get by I will get by I will survive

We will get by we will get by we will get by we will survive

We will get by we will get by we will get by we will survive

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Jerome J. Garcia / Robert C. Christie Hunter

Touch of Grey lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc 

"It's like a different way of living now"

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 17, 2021

"Can't you feel a brand new day?" That is how it feels to heal. A brand new day! Today the featured video is from the WIZ, A Brand New Day with Diana Ross.  When you survived whatever caused PTSD to hit you, you had a brand new day, but maybe it wasn't a happy one. I know it wasn't for me because I had a lot of things I had to deal with afterwards. Mostly, I was questioning why I survived. The thing is, I did heal and rejoiced when that better brand new day came. So can you.

In the end of this video, the factory workers are taking off their masks. It is time for you to do it too. If you feel as if you have had to hide what is going on inside of you, there is no need to cover it up anymore. It is time to find the help you need to heal because happiness is there for you to find.

You won't find it waiting for Dorothy or the Fairy Godmother to show up. You can't click your heals and end up there. You have to go looking for it and then you can have a whole new brand new day when you are happier!

 

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD 

A Brand New Day

Diana Ross

From The Wiz 

Everybody look around

'Cause there's a reason to rejoice you see

Everybody come out

And let's commence to singing joyfully

Everybody look up

And feel the hope that we've been waiting for

Everybody's glad

Because our silent fear and dread is gone

Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully

Just look about

You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad

Because the sun is shining just for us

Everybody wake up

Into the morning into happiness

Hello world

It's like a different way of living now

And thank you world

We always knew that we'd be free somehow

In harmony

And show the world that we've got liberty

It's such a change

For us to live so independently

Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully

Just look about

You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Everybody be glad

Because the sun is shining just for us

Everybody wake up

Into the morning into happiness

Hello world

It's like a different way of living now

And thank you world

We always knew that we'd be free somehow

In harmony

And show the world that we've got liberty

It's such a change

For us to live so independently

Freedom, you see, has got our hearts singing so joyfully

Just look about

You owe it to yourself to check it out

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Can't you feel a brand new day?

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Luther R. Vandross

A Brand New Day lyrics © Wb Music Corp. 

Preventing too late

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 16, 2021

What if you could prevent "too late" from happening? Too late to say you're sorry from filling you with regret? Too late to say you love someone who may need to hear it? Or too late to let them know they matter to you, pick up the phone and call them or just be willing to listen to them?

What if you are the one who is thinking about ending the pain on your terms but instead of reaching out one more time to people who care about you, you decide to just keep it from them? You cannot change "it" when it is too late, but you can prevent it from happening.

Today the featured video is James Taylor, Fire And Rain. "Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you," is heartbreaking but what makes is sadder is when he sings, "but I always thought that I'd see you again."

It is something that stays with you the rest of your life and if you are the one who is like Suzanne, then you will leave that pain in people who may have changed your life, before your changed theirs to be filled with never ending questions they will never have answers for.

Remember, it is your life...get in and drive it! #BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD

Fire And Rain

James Taylor 

Just yesterday mornin', they let me know you were gone

Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you

I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song

I just can't remember who to send it to

I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you again

Won't you look down upon me, Jesus?

You've got to help me make a stand

You've just got to see me through another day

My body's aching and my time is at hand

And I won't make it any other way

Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you again

Been walking my mind to an easy time

My back turned towards the sun

Lord knows, when the cold wind blows

It'll turn your head around

Well, there's hours of time on the telephone line

To talk about things to come

Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground

Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain

I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end

I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend

But I always thought that I'd see you, baby

One more time again, now

Thought I'd see you one more time again

There's just a few things coming my way this time around, now

Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain, now

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Taylor James V

Fire And Rain lyrics © Emi Blackwood Music Inc., Country Road Music

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

PTSD Patrol
Kathie Costos
May 15, 2021

Imagine needing help to heal PTSD. You ask a friend a friend if they know how to get there. They tell you that road doesn't exist. They looked for it but never found it. Then you decide that you'll go looking for it. After a while you see a traffic sign that tells you exactly where that road is. You'll be happy to see it but then you realize you never would have found it, if you hadn't looked for it. 

You could end up being pissed off at your friend, or, you could go back and let them know where it is so they could find it too. Would you be ashamed of them for needing help? Nope! Then what is stopping you from looking for the help you need? Isn't it time you saw the sign and tell your friend it opened up your eyes too?

Today's featured video is Ace Of Base, The Sign!

Remember, it is your life...get and drive it!

#BreakTheSilence and #TakeBackYourLife from #PTSD

The Sign

Ace of Base

Shock!

I, I got a new life

You would hardly recognize me

I'm so glad

How can a person like me care for you?

(Ah) Why do I bother

When you're not the one for me

Is enough enough?

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

Life is demanding without understanding

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

No one's gonna drag you up

To get into the light where you belong

But where do you belong?

Under the pale moon

For so many years I've wondered who you are

How could a person like you bring me joy

Under the pale moon

Where I see a lot of stars

Is enough enough?

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

Life is demanding without understanding

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

No one's gonna drag you up

To get into the light where you belong

But where do you belong?

Oh, oh, oh, oh

I saw the sign and it opened up my mind

And I am happy now

Living without you

I've left you, oh oh oh

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

No one's gonna drag you up

To get into the light where you belong

I saw the sign, I saw the sign

I saw the sign

I saw the sign, I saw the sign

I saw the sign, I saw the sign

I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes

I saw the sign

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Jenny Berggren / Malin Berggren / Jonas Berggren / Ulf Ekberg

The Sign lyrics © Megasong Publishing