 Ever have one of those days where you feel down in the dumps and you just can’t shake it?
We might call it a funk, feeling glum, or “the blues.” It happens to all of us at times, a normal level of sadness that may be caused by a recent loss or disappointment. We may be influenced by the weather or seasons, or we may not know why we feel the way we do, our feelings triggered by something deeper and hidden. Did you know that our melancholy can teach us something valuable?
When we’re feeling sad, we have the opportunity to go within and listen. Introspection allows us to connect more deeply with our emotional nature. As we practice identifying and processing our feelings, we may remember an event from the past we haven’t quite dealt with. Sometimes we use our sadness as a disguise for other feelings, or we might find we learned to get attention and comfort by being sad when we were children. When we learn to get to the root of our feelings, our sadness can integrate and dissipate. We just don’t feel as sad anymore.
Are you taking care of yourself? This is an excellent opportunity to practice important self-nurturing. It’s often easy to forget to care for ourselves when we’re distracted by uncomfortable feelings, and it’s when we need the support the most. Remember these simple and effective measures to feel better:
Move your body. Stretching, taking a walk or other exercise really helps to move that heavy energy out of the body, as well as oxygenating our brains so we think more clearly.
Eat a good meal. Eating a balanced, healthful meal can help stabilize our blood sugar and stabilize our mood. Remember to drink water and take your nutritional supplements like vitamins and minerals. By feeding our body, we feed ourselves emotionally, too.
Meditate. Just taking a few minutes to close your eyes and follow your breath can calm your mind and emotions, and allow “in-sight” to happen.
Journal. Writing is an excellent way of helping us to identify and process our emotions. It can provide relief as well as a deeper connection to our experience.
Call a friend. While introspection is important, talking out your feelings with a good friend can offer relief and understanding.
Call a professional. While friends can be good sounding boards, a well trained professional may help you get to the root of the problem allowing it to integrate within you faster.
The “blues” can be a gift! When we practice connecting with our feelings, and when we continue to nurture and support ourselves, we diminish our melancholy. Our sad times become easier to manage, less intense, and pass more quickly. As we grow in our emotional awareness, we experience greater freedom and satisfaction in our lives.
| Karen LL
Posted: 3/26/2011 12:19:40 PM |
Dr. Jennifer,
Thanks for this much needed message and excellent reminder. The mind, body and spirit are all connected. You are making a difference! Thanks again! |
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| Trevor Emdon
Posted: 3/13/2011 9:09:25 AM |
Yes - I''d add dancing and/or putting on uplifting music to your list! The blues is a way of welcoming to consciousness the awareness of what we don''t want so that we can clarify what we do want. The danger is the belief that what we want is forever out of our reach - which is, in fact, never the case.
Believing it is hurts us and limits us beyond measure, and it is those people I hope to reach and help.
Thanks, Dr. Jennifer, for an uplifting post!
Trevor. |
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| Jana Sheeder
Posted: 3/11/2011 7:17:16 PM |
GREAT blog! I agree with these ideas and would like to add a few more. Even if you don''t sing well, exercise your voice and sing along with some upbeat music. Take a quick walk around your surroundings. Think of 5 things for which you are grateful, and say them out loud a few times. Appreciate yourself -- remind yourself what is wonderful about YOU. Even if you are feeling down, you are still a good person...you''re just dealing with a tough time. Try to shake it with positive thinking and words. The best part of this? THE BLUES WILL PASS! |
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| terri hoagland
Posted: 3/12/2011 2:43:58 AM |
Dr. Jennifer,
Thank you for all the tips, you are so right. May God bless you today and everyday.
Thank you for your mediation room too, it really helps alot.
Respectfully Yours,
Terri |
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