Diversity Rules Magazine

5 Diversity Rules Magazine February 2018 For LGBTQ you can see the negativity start in the- home. Many face issues and negativity when they come out to their parents, then bullying in school which can continue into the workplace. ere are many forms of harassement minorities like LGBTQ deal with in life. e harassement can lead to depression, anger and anxiety. To be happy, we need to have support. A close support system is so important. If its at school, we need sup- portive educators. At work, we need supportive em- ployers but we all need a strong support system that loves and accepts us unconditionally. When we have that, we feel happier. JRK: You are also a specialist in positive parent- ing. What are some techniques you suggest to par- ents to empower them to be better parents? Do you think these techniques apply to same sex couples with children in the same way as that for straight couples? DL: Positive parenting is for every type of parent re- gardless of gender, race, religion, single parenting, etc. Being a positive parenting is becoming self-aware. Its realizing that kids from birth thru puberty learn through role modeling, imitation and observation. To be a positive parent, you must look at your own be- haviors to make the change. Positive parenting teaches children through their own actions. Be self-aware and take note of the questions below: Are you giving off a negative attitude? Are you watching your non-verbal behaviors? How many negative statements did you say? How many negative actions did you display? Did you apologize when you did something wrong? Did you learn fromyour mistakes/failures? Are your behaviors consistent? JRK: You are also a life coach. Can you tell us what that entails? DL: Life coaching is about looking at where you are currently, figuring out what is working and what isn't working and how can you move forward to reach your full potential. JRK: What tips might you have for 2018 for folks to deal with the political and social chaos and tur- moil in today's society? DL: Work on what you CAN control – we can only control ourselves and how we react to others. If we constantly try to change others, we set ourselves up for failure. Work on you only! Emotional detox- remove the toxic people. Moods & emotions are contagious. Watch who you spend your time with. Stay away from the negativity – limit your media in- take especially at night. If we watch negative program- ming such as the news before bed, it can affect how we sleep and what mood we wake up in. Tough times are teachable, learnable moments. Ask yourself what can I learn from this situa- tion? How can I change? What can I do to not be a victim? JRK: On your website, you state that your theme and keyword for 2018 it "Freedom." Can you delve into that a bit more? DL: My theme and keyword for 2018 is "Free- dom." Freedom from my inner negative loop that keeps playing on repeat in my head. Lang - Con't on page 6 Diane Lang Waking up to Life Mindfully Happy Diane Lang Mindfully H appy Waking up to Life

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