It really is all in the mind! It’s about how the mind can be used to change how you feel or react to a situation. Let me explain.
I’m a Baby Boomer. Nothing special about that really.
I am a statistical average.
Female, married, adult children at home, professional with university education, aging parent…….
Aaahh! the aging parent –  having parented the children, now it’s time to parent the parent, so as to speak. I’m not complaining as we have a much better relationship now than when it was the other way around, but as the eldest child and the daughter, it is now up to me to provide the support as the body begins to fail and the medical merry go round starts.
Fortunately I have some fantastic tools to work with.
By consciously focusing on maintaining a positive body posture, then not only do I maintain a positive physiology, but my mind set is more positive. I can also see and hear those around me reacting in a positive manner as well. I am constantly calibrating, checking in to make sure that I have a ready, genuine smile, that I am relaxing my neck and shoulders.
I have learned to be present in the situation for my aging parent as the doctor delivers the words “…..cancer…..” and listening as he presents the options, so as to be of service to the parent later. And to reassure and be there for Dad and to take him to the next appointment and listen in again, as with age comes deafness.

I have learned that by maintaining the positive physiology in waiting rooms acts as a calming effect for an anxious & fiercely independent parent, who does not want to end up in a nursing home bed like the love of his life with whom he sat with every day for 5 years as she slipped into dementia and then death.
In amongst all of this, I am being taught some amazing philosophical lessons on living and dying by my 89 year old parent.
We have discussed death and dying in a matter of fact way.  He is remarkably pragmatic about it all and has clearly stated to his medical practitioner about his wishes not to have agressive interventions.
While he sits in the medical centre waiting area, he makes out his shopping list for the next week, confounded this week with the option of stocking up on food because some things might become scarce or more expensive because of the flooding or keeping things to a minimum because he doesn’t want to have too much in the pantry!
A friend commented that I seemed to be very detached from all of the goings on and it may appear that way. I am finding that the constant checking in on the body and what language I am using around the  events of each day is actually relieving the stress, rather than creating it.  I have a Tony Robbins book in the car to take into all the waiting rooms to read, so I have extra help in maintaining a positive outlook and physiology.