GOT THE BLUES? HERE'S WHAT NOT TO DO
“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
Hey you!
How has your January been? Has your year begun with a bang or has it been more of a stuttering start?
Mine’s definitely been the latter. I’m usually full of energy and raring to go after Christmas but this year it’s taken me a while to get my mojo back. In fact, it wasn’t until my birthday last Friday that I really noticed a shift in energy and things began to feel lighter.
Over the last couple of weeks I have felt emotionally drained and pretty low. Even though I had nothing to be down about I just couldn’t help feeling that something was wrong and I was teetering on the brink of a minor meltdown. What got me through it was not so much what I did do, rather what I didn’t. It got me thinking about how, when we’re feeling low, sometimes focussing on what not to do is equally, if not more, important.
Here are four things I didn’t do last week:
DON’T resist the feelings.
Accepting that I was feeling low and letting the emotion flow through me instead of fighting against it meant that it was able to be released. The old saying, ‘what we resist, persists’ is a good reminder that if we try to suppress our emotions we often find that the situation will keep repeating itself until we acknowledge it and take the required action. Sometimes a good cry is all that’s needed to wash away the bad stuff.
DON’T let yourself wallow.
Having suffered (and subsequently recovered) from severe depression for several years I know the signs and am careful not to let myself spiral. I now know my triggers and also what helps: for me, exercise is key. Previously I would’ve succumbed to the darkness and slept my way through it but now I make sure to force myself out for a run even if I don’t feel like it because I know I will always be glad I did.
DON’T overthink things (too much!).
I’m not usually one for overthinking but when the blues come to town my mind sometimes goes in to over drive. I start doubting myself, I beat myself up and blame myself for other people’s actions or inactions. I’ve got a lot better at answering back to my inner critic though. Zooming out and seeing the bigger picture allows us to look at all the possibilities. The reason that person didn’t reply to your message isn’t because you said something that upset them - maybe they lost their phone, maybe they have had a bad day too, maybe they are somewhere without WIFI or maybe, just maybe, they are busy doing their own shit and simply forgot. Perspective is everything.
DON’T stay closed.
This is probably the most important one. When we feel low it is very easy to hide away and avoid people - I know, I’ve done it many times but this time I chose to speak up and letting myself be vulnerable helped ease the pressure. Talking honestly to someone you trust about how you are feeling instead of running away from it is another way of releasing the emotion. Sometimes just saying the words out loud can lighten the load.
I hope these points might help if you are ever feeling down or overwhelmed by life and remember, my DM’s are always open if you ever want a chat.
Let me know what’s on your ‘not to do’ list!
Kx