Recently, your heart sent you a wake-up call.
You learned you have heart disease.
It can be a confusing and scary time ... and lead to lots of worry.
All those feelings are normal.
But that doesn't mean they're easy to deal with.
"When I heard the words 'heart disease,' I needed to know what I did wrong."
It's not always clear why heart disease happens.
Heart disease may run in your family.
Or maybe you have some habits that aren't so healthy for your heart.
Like ... smoking.
But what's really important now is that you're ready to do good things for your heart, like not smoking, taking medicines, being active, eating healthy foods, and lowering your stress.
"It took me a while to get over the shock.
But I knew I had to start taking better care of myself.
I really need to see my grandchildren graduate."
When you've had a big scare like heart disease, believing in yourself as you face your fears will help you heal.
You can have your life back.
As you're trying to make some changes, don't feel like you need to do it all at once.
It takes time and patience to create new habits.
Take it a step at a time and you'll get there.
"I started off doing things I knew I could do ...
like keeping track of when I took my medicines so I wouldn't forget.
Then, I tried to let go of the small things that stress me out.
So, instead of getting mad when I got stuck in traffic, I would tell myself to relax and take five deep breaths.
And then I got my wife to start walking with me a few mornings a week."
Now ... imagine a new chapter in your life.
You're not a person suffering from heart disease.
You're a person who gets healthier because of heart disease.
With patience and a commitment to your heart, you can bounce back from heart disease.
And you can live that healthy life you want.
