Three Sure Fire Ways to Beat the Holiday Blues

Sandra* always felt a little down in the afternoons, she figured it was the after lunch "sugar low," but during the holidays she felt unusually down. Sandra's husband noticed that at night she seemed tired, but he didn't know what to do, he tried helping with the dishes, helping with picking up around the house, he even tried helping with the decorations; but nothing seemed to lift her spirits as she repeated like a mantra "I hate being broke all the time."

She hated being broke all the time; can you sense where she was coming from? Maybe you can, maybe you can't, in the United States there are many people who never know what it means to sweat a budget, but in writing this, my sense is that an average American these days, is sweating a budget, so that might be you; and if it is, you may find yourself falling into a holiday down. This writing is meant to give you three ways or methods which will work for you to get out of a holiday slump.

They worked for me, they worked for others who have tried them, and what we all have in common for them to work is, we are human, age don't matter, they still work, young or old, they work, smart or not so smart, they work, rich or poor, they work, because they have nothing to do with those labels, they have to do with sure fire ways to get out of an emotional slump, three of them.

Sure fire - ouch, a "has to work statement," that's either arrogant, or, proven, whichever one works for you, if you choose one of these three methods, it will work for you. Why three, instead of ten, or five? Great question and the answer isn't logical, it's emotional, three seems to be some sort of connection number with folks, don't know why, in Dale Carnegie they teach that when you meet a new person is you will visualize their name as they teach**, and then repeat it three times in the pursuing conversation, you will remember it, and that works. Three seems to be the "connect the dots" number on stop lights all over the planet? We have three choices in life, accept it, reject it or change it?

So three seems solid as a choice, and here's the really cool part, one will seem to be the most sensible to you, and guess what, that's the one which will work for you...weird as it might seem, that's the going way of it happening.

One last issue before we dive into the three proven methods of climbing out of the holiday blues...why Sandra* in our example, why a lady? Odd as it might seem, the majority of emotional association literature is written to ladies, but men read it? Isn't that odd, apparently ladies, men want to know, but are afraid to ask?

Sure fire - method one is - the blues attack you because of focus and fear - you focus on the thing that you fear. Sandra's statement is "I hate being broke for the holidays," which is true, but also fear; her fear is that she won't have enough to purchase the holidays for her loved ones. Her fear is that she will run out of money before she runs out of gifts needed. Her fear is the fear of every person who focuses on lack- of-money. Here is the way out - and it works every single time - put a line down the middle of a page of paper - on one side put No Money - on the other put - Money - now, list under the columns what you have- such as, the ability to draw, such as real possessions which you have acquired, such as recipes you cook by, such as hugs you get, friends you have, calls you make, people you love, list it, list it, list it, and list it in both columns...ready-

See it - see it clearly now - money doesn't have anything to do with it, does it? Now you see the fact that money isn't a factor in - creativity, friends, recipes, possessions - it is only what you use, it is nothing more than a resource, so fearing not having it is fearing not having the resource, and there is a way out of that which will become clear as you focus on the fact that it isn't the money or lack of money which is bringing the fear.

Sure fire - method two is - get agreement with yourself into the process. Sandra is expressing a fear, but what she is really saying is, "I'm not happy with how I feel." What she is identifying is an inner state of emotion that she needs to have affirmed, once that affirmation takes place she will be able to focus on matters which can be dealt with, the fear and process of stating an emotional inner feeling of not being happy will hold you on that pattern and force you to stay on that block. We're going to unblock it by using a tape recorder, or, your own phone recording device if you don't have a tape recorder or one of those fancy digital recorders (although most folks have such) if you have a phone which has an answering system in it (as most do) call yourself and leave the following message:

"(Your Name) hates being broke during the holidays, and (Your Name) is right!" Or read that message into your recorder and play it back. Sounds so corny, but guess what, this step in internal communications will have the surprising effect of suddenly making feel that your feelings are real, worthwhile and honest. You need to hear it from the outside coming in, rather than the inside going out.

Now for my personal favorite, because, it is the one that I cannot use much due to a skin condition that resulted from my having Scarlet fever as a boy, it left me scarred for life, and this method inflames that, did you guess what it is? Take the calming and soothing action of submersing in warm water. Set the mood in the area by using softer than normal lighting, your favorite soothing type of music, and if you have a favorite aroma, don't be afraid of aroma therapy, it can and does work wonders.

While it seems too simple to be effective, thirty minutes or so in a nice warm bath can literally throw entirely new shades into the drawing of your life. Method three is deceptive in its power, but the amazing thing about relaxing in the stream of stress is that it has the effect of breaking the cycle. Allow yourself to feel and know that you aren't the only one, you aren't alone, and this is what you can use to help an otherwise disastrously down day, come right back.

* Name not associated with any person entirely fictional in use.

** You may contact author about this at: drd@adeduline.org

Bonus method four: Absolutely the best in so many ways: Visit one of the following three: Nursing home - Hospital - Red Cross or Mission - just to visit with the people and to let them know you care. You can be certain that when you bring yourself into compassion with those who indeed are less blessed than you, you are the one who receives the true blessing of bringing any "blue mood" into the bright reality of true connecting with somebody who needs a human touch.