Tips for Overcoming the Blues

This past weekend as I was driving home from a quick trip to the coast I found myself dwelling on the negatives from a weekend that hadn't gone as planned. The longer I drove, the more I dwelled and feelings of negativity seemed to fill the car. I finally had a little chat with myself and decided I could either keep dwelling or do something to make me feel better - which led me to thinking about this article.


Whatever you want to call it, mild depression, a funk, the blues, being down in the dumps - we all have those days. At times getting past it can seem difficult and you aren't sure what to do to help this little episode move along so you can get back to your daily life with a healthier attitude. Here are some tips that I hope will help you.


1. Get your blood moving. Studies have shown that adrenaline helps people feel happier. Anyone who runs, swims, bikes, or plays sports can verify that after a bout of good exercise, you feel better. With exercise not only do you get that adrenaline pumping through your blood but you also often look at problems differently after exercising. Whenever I have a hard day at work I hit the running trail or take a spin class. Often times I emerge from my run much more 'zen like.' Even if you aren't into running or biking, take a walk and breath in some fresh air.

2. Journal your thoughts. I don't mean you have to keep a diary. Journaling can work for individuals in various ways. For some people it does feel good to get your thoughts out onto paper and vent. For others you can jot down positive things when you are having a good day and reflect on these positive items on days when you aren't feeling as well. In this day and age you can journal in a book or do it a bit more high tech with a blog or website. The choice is yours.

3. Get involved with an activity. Distract yourself from a problem that is really getting you down. By taking a break from thinking about the problem you often come back with a refreshed point of view and new solutions. Call a friend for coffee and catch up with their life. Bake a cake or cookies, something that requires concentration and produces a finished product you can feel good about.

4. Do a good deed. What better way to get your spirits up then by making someone else happy? Take that cake you baked and give it to your neighbor or bring in cookies for your co-workers. The smile on someone's face can make you feel good about yourself. If you want to do something more long term you could volunteer at a hospital or food bank. Meeting and helping other individuals in unfortunate situations can put some of your own problems in perspective. This is not to say that your concerns aren't important to you, but again - you may view them differently after helping out a family who recently lost their home.


5. Accomplish a task you have been putting off. Give yourself a sense of satisfaction by finally getting those plants in your garden or cleaning out the hall closet. When you are feeling upset the tendency can be to lay on the couch and cry with a sad movie, but I challenge you to accomplish a task and see how you feel after you finish your task. If after you clean out the hall closet and still feel like crying along with 'Titanic' then go for it, you deserve it after finishing your chore for the day.

All of these tips may not work for you, but hopefully you are willing to try one or more of them to see how they work for you. But please note, if you notice that you feel depressed more days than you are happy, or if you continue feeling bad despite several efforts, I encourage you to seek out someone for additional help. As always, feel free to email me with comments/suggestions or questions.