I have not mastered the art of "fighting the blues" but I am a work in progress. The holiday season is the most difficult time of year for me; not having family around and not having the funds to make my daughter's Christmas spectacular are always bummers. So, I was happy to receive an invitation to Oprah's free 21-day meditation. I thought for sure it would help me make it through the holiday season. I felt relaxed and empowered the first time I had participated. Unfortunately, this time did not go so well, my mind just would not allow me to focus.
I'm listing a few reminders of ways to fight the holiday blues, to help me avoid following into a depressed state during the winter months:
1. Don't Isolate Yourself. If invited somewhere, stop with the excuses and go.
2. Stay Positive. Counter negative thoughts with positive ones.
3. Surround Yourself With Happy People. Happiness can be contagious.
4. Smile. Smile for no reason, sometimes you have to fake it until you make it.
5. Journal. Write about the things you are grateful for each day.
6. Give Of Yourself. Giving makes you feel good and it always comes back to you.
7. Laugh. Laughter is awesome medicine.
8. Stay In The Now. Don't stress over the past or worry about the future.
9. You Can Only Do What You Can Do. Don't beat yourself up over mistakes or mishaps. Let it go.
10. Love yourself. Accept yourself and all of the flaws that make you perfectly you.
11. Be Still. Listen. You don't always need to respond, be right, or have the last word.
I came across a post entitled "13 things Mentally Strong People Don't Do" by Amy Morin. You should google it. I realized I had a bad habit of doing a lot of the forbidden things on her list, so I printed it out and every now and then when i'm getting in a funk i'll pull it out and read it so I can identify the things that I'm doing that I need to stop doing and I challenge myself to make the change. Knowing is half the battle. I'm now in the know. I'll keep you posted as I navigate my way through the season. What's your secret to fighting the blues?
