• Vogue magazine. It sounds funny, but yes, Vogue is a coping mechanism for me. Every year I look so forward to the September issue. I study it. Read every article, save out the photos of outfits that I want to copy. This year, knowing that I was going to be dealing with personal issues at the end of the month, I didn't let myself read the issue when it came in the mail. I hid it from myself, wrapped in the plastic until this week. It gave me something to look forward to, that I knew I would enjoy immensely when I really needed it.
• Sex and the City Series. I have a great friend that owns the COMPLETE season (in the pink velvet and silver case) that graciously loaned it to me. When I felt like I could only cope with watching television, they were at the ready. A little bit of humor, a reminder of great friendships AND designer clothes and shoes? Always a pick me up for me.
• One of the most important things that I did for myself was remembering how I had physically coped with grief and stress in the past. Typically for me, my appetite disappears. With the resulting weight loss I have a lot of fatigue and I normally will end up sick. To off set this I made sure that I bought enough juice and soy milk and made myself keep up on my fluids. I take my vitamins more diligently than usual. I have also been living off of one of my all time favorite mango salads, that I never can resist.

Mango Salad Recipe

1 soft ripe mango, cut into chunks
1/4 small red onion cut into thin slices
cilantro leaves to taste
lots of fresh lime juice
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for 15 minutes or longer for flavors to meld. Eat as a salad for one or serve alongside chips to use as salsa for a small group.