what to do when you are feeling blue....

For those of you who have been following me for over a year, you may remember my angst at this time exactly a year ago today.
Our teen son had moved out.....my heart was broken because it had all 'come down' in a very bad way. He had left suddenly and in the middle of an argument. Things were just not good. Not good at all.

And it was a week before Mother's Day.....
I cried and despaired worrying over things..... yet only three months later, he was back with us. Just as SO many of you assured me...it would happen..it did!
And since his return, things have been SO much better. It is amazing how a person can change in so little time. 

So I have learned to "allow time". 
I have learned that what I have always believed: "do things with love, and all will work out Ok" ...is indeed true. I have learned to allow time to pass.... to allow time to heal....to allow time for miracles.

However, when you are "there" and in the moment.... it can be quite unbearable.

So what can you do?

First of all: take care of yourself. This is not the time to eat "comfort foods" drink yourself to sleep, oversleep or hide inside by yourself. I did all of these, and it only made me more miserable. It was not until I followed my own advice that I began to feel much better....and I want to share these with you especially now, as I have three friends going through hard times right now.... I wish I had a magic wand to make it all go away.... but since I don't, I want to share with you:...

....the following things, tested by yours truly- they really do work!

1. Pamper your body. Increase the number of vegetables that you eat daily, mostly raw and steamed. Potassium is good for the blues...and although bananas are famous for it, broccoli not only has more potassium but also does not have the sugar that bananas have. Take a bath, go for a walk.

2. Stay away from  sugar and alcohol-none of these are good for our bodies, and they both increase depression as you come down from it, they also can cause you to have interrupted sleep.

3. Don't sleep more than 8 hours a night, and no less than 6. If you are tempted to stay in bed all day... reach out to a friend. S/he can hopefully coax you out of bed and keep you company on the worst of days.

4. Spend as much time outside as possible... being in nature is super healing ....especially if you can ground yourself by being barefooted.

6. Don't let anyone tell you that your feelings aren't real. They are real, significant, and important . Feel your feelings, think your thoughts, but realize they're just feelings and thoughts. Allow yourself to really feel all of the feelings you are having, rather than just suppressing and denying them. A wonderful way to feel while at the same time heal is to apply EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). If you are not familiar with it, google it or better yet...go to YouTube and follow along with one of the many teachers there....like this one I can guarantee that you will feel immediate benefit from it!

7.  Don't rush to numb the pain with meds. If you are going through a loss (break up, grieving over a loved one, divorce, job loss, empty nest...) it is NATURAL for you to feel sad and broken. It is part of life. Instead, try supplements like St. Jon's Wort, Magnesium oil, Lavender essential oil.... they really do work! (I recommend i-Herb for best prices and wonderful shipping/customer service).

8. Make a Gratitude list. Write down what you are thankful for. Even the most basic things like having clothes and a warm place to sleep, then moving to people who care for you, and good things in your life. Being thankful is naturally healing and will balance out any trauma over time.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie

9. Know that this too shall pass. You have a past, a present, and a future... Live your NOW knowing that tomorrow is a new day. Expect only miracles.... you indeed are, what you think! So think yourself full of peace, love and joy.

I hope this helps you!

Much Love & Light.... from one who has been "there" and as life is always in flux... will probably be there again ......

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

~Kahlil Gibran