VeraCity Newsletter – July 2011
Depressed?
Summer may be here but Mother Nature tells another story. The uncharacteristically cold and wet weather has put a damper on many people’s moods and plans, highlighting other areas of our life that are falling short of our expectations. The rainy weather can definitely affect our sense of well-being.
During the summer months we generally find ourselves in a more relaxed lifestyle, vacationing, exploring the outdoors and enjoying later evenings with longer days. But when we’re cold and wet, we feel dejected, discouraged, cranky and downright depressed. Sure, you might put on your happy face, with positive affirmations, but deep down inside you feel the blahs.
When we feel depressed we usually avoid going out, seeing friends or doing anything other than hide within our walls of doom and gloom. We become closed off. Depressed energy feels like a veil of darkness has swept over us. If you have never had this experience then consider yourself fortunate. If you’ve had it, or have it now, know that you are not alone. It can literally sweep in unnoticed, and some people do not even realize they are depressed. That’s how slowly it creeps in.
There are various degrees of depression, just like there are in anxiety and happiness. In this article we will discuss mild depression, as it relates to average individuals.
As difficult as it is, when we experience depressed energy, it is an opportunity to identify which of our needs is not being met. What part of me is lonely? What do I need? What do I want? One of the most important things to do when feeling depressed is to stick to a routine that works for you. Make plans. Do follow through with your plans. You might just have to take boots and an umbrella, or you might have to change those plans from a picnic to a movie.
If you find yourself sitting home alone, looking out at the wet weather thinking woe is me, then it’s time to get out and do something. While I believe it is important to honour the emotions we experience as they arise, I also believe we can lose ourselves to them when we are not mindful. It is natural to feel depressed after loss, and that includes people, dreams, ideas, and expectations. Sometimes we don’t understand how much something or someone meant to us until they or it are gone. To stay stuck in the energy of depression is to deny yourself the life you are here to live, and share with others.
Observe the inner critic and the inner cheerleader. For every negative thought that arises, you can release it down your grounding and replace it with a positive affirmation. Take it one step at a time. Open your heart and eyes to see the beauty within and around you. Turn the corners of your mouth up and smile at yourself in the mirror. Extend that smile to a stranger. Take a walk in the rain, by yourself, with a neighbour or friend. Listen to the birds, nature, children playing.
The need you have not identified within yourself will present itself when you are open to receiving it. When you feel depressed and alone, remember you are a peaceful spirit, currently having a depressing experience. It too shall pass.
