JOANA MIRANDA STUDIO

For all of life’s twists and turns….

My baby (computer) is now healthy again and the virus has been identified and removed.  Hallelujah!   As a result, I’m feeling a little more optimistic even though the weather is damp, gray and cold.

I have a few friends whose moods of late have matched the gloomy weather today.  I’m no stranger to black moods, so I completely sympathize.  Life has certainly been hard for many people around the country these past few years; it is hard to maintain a cheery perspective when we are being bombarded on all fronts about the lackluster economy, jobless rates and other gloom and doom forecasts.  Bad moods just might be contagious…certainly, the ruts our minds can wear are hard to get out of, too.  In light of  this, I decided to revisit a post I put up a little over a year ago where I looked at ways to overcome the blues.  I’ve added a few more “ingredients” to this list now (after all, I’m 13  months older, so I should have learned something in that time, right?)

RECIPE FOR SURVIVING THOSE DAYS WHEN THE TURKEYS GET YOU DOWN

(With a few new additions to spice things up)

1. Pay attention to your feelings.  Don’t try to stuff them away or change them.  They are what they are and and are valid because you feel them.
2. Remind yourself that life is not fair.  Trying to make it fair is beyond your control.  Use your energy instead where it will make a difference.
3. Go ahead cry, punch a pillow, yell in your car (hopefully when you are alone), or do whatever you need to do to safely release your emotion.
4. Go for a walk outside.  Fresh air reminds us that we are alive, and being outside in the open can help give some perspective on the scope of the problem.
5. Exercise.  If you feel good about your body, you’ll hold your head that much higher.
6. Eat healthily and get enough sleep.  Remember the wisdom contained in Max Erhmann’s Desiderata poem, ” Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.”
7. Realize that some (maybe more than you think) of the “turkeys” are in your own head.   If you can recognize your self-created “turkeys”, they’ll be less likely to get you down.
8. Reach out for advice from someone you trust and can count on to respond.  Their perspective might surprise you.
9. Ask for what you need from loved ones.  They see you hurting but don’t always know how to help.
10. Help someone else.  You might feel in the dumps about yourself, but there will always be someone who looks up to you.
11. Seek out training, a seminar, or workshop.
12. Think about one small step that you can do to get yourself a little closer to your goal, then do it.  (Repeat this step every day.)
13. Reward yourself for not giving up.
14. Thank all the people who help you in little or big ways.
15. Do what you love to do.

And this year’s additions…

1. Breathe.  Focusing on your breath brings you back to the present moment – the only moment that matters.
2. If your thoughts are hijacking you, see if you can bring yourself back into the present by noticing 5 things you can see, hear and/or feel.
3. We all are seeking acceptance, approval and love.  Remembering that can help to soften our judgments of others.
4. Learn to forgive yourself.  You will then be able to forgive others.
5. When in doubt, be generous.