HOW TO MOVE SAD ~

WHEW

HOME SAFELY!

What a grand reunion I received; with so much love and happiness from the

two-leggeds, the four-leggeds!

Slept in, slept well... once again

it's good to be me as I awake today to Florida warmth and coffee and my little ones so happy for the day... The light is playing with trees and casting wonderful shadows.

I send all songs of peace and thoughts of strength and hope on the winds today.

Sure am missing my

Olivia and Joan this morning.

We had such a wonderful time, their laughter still fills my senses.

So Sad, So So Sad. What to do?



Yes, it is true that even though we are powerful, and optimistic, and strong, we sometimes feel blue, or maybe even depressed. It is not the end of the world. It is a feeling. This too shall pass. We may sit with it awhile, mull it over. Acknowledge it for what it is. A reflection of our weary heart, or our exhausted emotions. We will not accept this as a permanent state of mind, but we may park ourselves there for a short time until we are ready to pick ourselves up, dust off the blues and step back into our “feel good” place. I pretty much stay in my "happy place", inviting others in, but if they choose to not join me, I will just as often invite them out of that Happy Place! LOL

There are always a host of ways to expedite the process, but we need not deny ourselves a bit of a blue spell when we find ourselves weighted down with worries or sorrow. Sometimes we have neglected our souls well being and have created this exhausted state unintentionally. At other times, it is purely situational and we must reflect on the situation for a time until we ready to deal. Remember, be kind to you.

You are not the first person ever to feel this way. It is not fatal. It’s miserable, and misery can perpetuate itself if we dwell on it. After you have honored the sadness, the worry, the grief, gently determine when you are ready to employ some of the strategies here to regain your well being.

Try some human contact/animal contact. Even if it is the last thing in the world that feels right, it will help. Get together with a friend. It’s OK to let them know you need a lift. It’s not up to them to fix what is wrong, but a friendly presence can help shake the blues.

Try a light romantic comedy or a funny sit com. Something easy to laugh at. Laughter releases chemicals in the brain that hand us a lift even when we “know “ that there is nothing artificially funny enough to pull us back from the deep pit of our sadness. Might even help if you try this at a honest to goodness movie theater. Take in a matinee. They are cheap and come with a popcorn option. It’s dark there so at least starting out, it may be a good match for your dismal mood. Might come back out into the afternoon sun able to appreciate the light after a few good laughs.


Comfort food comes to mind. A great big bowl of ice cream. A whole box of decadent chocolates. Isn't it great that researchers have finally determined that chocolates is "good for you"... grieving folks have been trying to tell them that for years you know~There is real healing in whatever feels good, indulge yourself. Sometimes eating out is a favorite place is helpful. The social interaction can remind us that not all is dark and lost. Best not to go out and eat alone. See Above suggestion about sharing time with a friend. Eating alone at home is not the same. Not unless you have a puppy on your lap and you are reading a good book. Let’s be realistic. No standing over the sink in a dark kitchen just stuffing our faces. That defeats the purpose.


Get dressed up. Put on your favorite outfit, or go buy a new one. Make up, good shoes, maybe a hat. Go out somewhere. Now if you are male, this may get you some odd looks or elicit concern from your spouse... so you may want to get out your most spiffy suit and bow tie... get yourself looking "fly", or just downright fantastic looking guys!

Malls are great for people watching. People watch. Really get into it. See what they are doing. What are they wearing. Don’t engage anyone that is not smiling. No sense joining a grouch parade. If that worked we would really be in a fine pickle. Don’t worry about shopping, nothing will appeal anyway. It’s all stuff. Just stuff. No need to even take your wallet. Just wander around , sit on a bench and soak up the action. Smell the Cinabons. Breathe it all in.
Wait, wait, we didn’t bring our wallet. Rethink that one. Cinnamon really does have a way of lifting the mood. Maybe that’s why every mall has them.
OK let me move on, I am beginning to drool.
Although my missing my girls is still there I am re-entering my "happy place" and so loving being back at home; did I mention that it appears the "white knight" of the cleaning world was here in my absence? Thought the windows had been removed while I was gone the glass was so clean!!!
And the four-leggeds are so clean I swear their hair squeaks when I am loving on them!


Don’t forget music. Music is good. Might have to start with something a bit quiet, something slightly uplifting and work your way up to some real crazy loud joyful stuff. I have it playing now... a little lite jazz to start the day, but Patti Labelle and Michael Jackson is already loaded on the discs... get ready babies we will be dancing around the pool in short order as we send thank you letters to all we met and all we saw!






Take your time. You know, little steps lead to bigger things.



Long hot soak in a scented tub? Followed by the oil, wrap yourself in a thirsty robe. Ah, feel the tension melt away. Dab on a little perfume or after shave. At least you won’t smell like a billy goat. Pedicure anyone? If your feet are happy, so goes your mood.

Now... these are the good, the right ways. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the number one wrong way that people fall into. STOP SELF MEDICATING THE PAIN ...
You can stop this. Alcohol, prescription medications.... are the number one hole that people fall into and it is a dark hole, one without an easy access ladder to get back out of. You have to want to crawl, get your nails dirty, use skills of survival and desire of want to crawl, dig and find your way to the light and discover your way to your "happy place"  YOU HAVE TO BE A WARRIOR to get back to the top.

Sometimes folks have to hit the bottom, hit their knees to know they are on solid ground, and only then they can stand up, S T O M P, AND OWN IT, LEARNING TO STAND and find their strength to say YES...

I believe that when you hit your knees you can "cry from the heart" and that crying from the heart is the true sense of prayer... So cry from the heart friends, ask for what you need ~ act as if it is already yours and stand up.
STOMP
S   T   O   M   P
Pamper yourself. You are worth it.

LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE, START TODAY, OWN IT

"Individually and collectively, Cherokee people possess an extraordinary ability to face down adversity and continue moving forward." {Wilma P. Mankiller}



Feeling better? Good. Now try a bit of positive thinking. Remember that we are in control. We can change our focus. We can paste a smile on our faces until our heart gets the message and begins to smile with us. Find something you are grateful for and dwell there for a bit. Gratitude works wonders. Ready to STOMP our way to get of this mess?



STOMP on my friend. You’re ready. Change our physicality and we shift our mood.


So let’s recap. So now you have had a good bath, you smell great, you dressed up, have gone to the movies and laughed until your face ached, you have eaten out with a dear friend after a visit to the mall where you all but snarfed down every cinnamon roll in sight, had popcorn, ice cream, a whole box of chocolates. Worn out your Ipod, and stomped the soles out of yet another pair of shoes. You are easily 10 pounds heavier and thoroughly exhausted.
Well, maybe you will sleep a bit better after all the activity.


Way to go…. And this was supposed to help you feel better?

So sad. My bad. I think the trick here is to maybe not do all this in one day. Spread it out. Pick and choose from the menu of mood elevating opportunities. Do whatever it takes. Sad is no place to stay.
Not for long anyway

The fire is burning, the embers are red, red hot... the smoke is heading up up up... and with it are messages of love, of hope in healing. Sending thoughts of HOPE in healing, love, and support to Chris, Jill, 6 year old Shelby, Lizzie, Lee, Molly, Joanie, Denise, Jim, Cindy, Jeanne, Irene, "Southwest Virginia", Mary, Matthew, Faith, and all of those who have asked ~ you are in the arms of some powerful angels; here and all around you, may you find strength and comfort in their thoughts and prayers... We have our warpaint on, we are with you.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, make it the best day yet... OWN IT, MAKE IT REMARKABLE..




STOMP


S T O M P


walk In Beauty,
DRSES
author of
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life
http://www.drsherryeshowalter.com/