Any Place Is Better Than Here
When you are dealing with depression, it may seem like you’re never going to get better or see the light of day. That is simply not true. Just like it took time to get into a depressive state (or maybe you came into this incarnation as depressed), it may take a little time to get out of it. But you CAN do it. It requires what I call a self-treatment plan, one that you have to implement 24/7. Because depression is a sneaky bastard, and if left untreated, it can take over your life:
In this series of articles, we’ll cover the four bases of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual medicine to help you to heal.
To begin with, we start with small steps. Here we talk about your body and physical location. These aren’t “cures” for depression, this is only the first layer of a multi-layered approach. The real work occurs within to change your thoughts and mind-pattern. Now, lets get proactive, wipe off those dirt-covered glasses, and get ready to start a new life. One that you love.
The first step is to take care of yourself physically. Begin to ask your body what it wants. Listen to it, the answer may surprise you. Your body knows what it needs to function at an optimal level. Eat clean foods, drink clean water. Once you start to eat healthy foods, you begin to crave them instead of junk food. Find healthy foods that taste good; foods that you look forward to eating. Stay away from drugs and alcohol while healing, these will only acerbate the depression.
Get some exercise each day, if possible. Walk a few minutes (in the sun would be beneficial), take the stairs, park your car farther away, or find a scenic area to walk around. Do what you can. We are trying to get you to feel physically better, just a little bit, because that will begin to shift things for you and get you ready for the inner work. Be sure to get plenty of rest each evening. For this, ask your body how much it needs and aim for that. Some people only need 6 hours of sleep, others need up to 10 hours.
When your mood is “heavy”, we will use your five senses to lighten things up. Get some essential oils or flower essences, a smell that will lift your spirits. Why not try orange or lemon, or maybe coconut or vanilla? Smells can have a powerful effect on your mood.
Now, find some music that always puts you in a good mood, and make a playlist. Pick songs that make you feel happy, or that remind you of happy times. You could pick the kind of songs that make you want to dance when you hear them. What not to pick: songs that remind you of an ex-lover, a hard time in your life, or any songs that make you “pine” for a life or life circumstances that are not congruent with your current life. For example, if you are single and you are thinking of adding love ballots to your list, which remind you longingly of how “single” you are. Those kinds of songs do not get to be included on your playlist. I call my playlist “Fun”, and I play it to feel happy, sexy, loving, sophisticated, or whatever. The point is that the music I chose for that playlist makes me happy and contributes to my over-all good mood.
Put on clothes that you feel good wearing. Do you feel good in that dingy pink bathrobe or those old sweats? Probably not. You don’t have to wear your best outfit, just find something that accents the parts of your body you actually like. Maybe it is a nice pair of yoga pants or maybe it’s wearing some flattering V-necks instead of plain t-shirts. Maybe it is wearing fun-colored socks or colored bras, or wearing colors that flatter your skin tone. Maybe it’s a pair of boots or shoes that you love. No more wearing all black, unless it’s Friday night evening attire. No more wearing colors that aren’t flattering either. Do you remember the color that everyone says you look good in? Try wearing some of that.
Research the benefits of each color on our physical world and choose to express that in your daily wardrobe and daily living space. Add some color and light into each room of your home. You could buy some colorful throw pillows or a decoration or two to add “color and life” to your home. Light some candles in the evening. Open those blinds and even the windows for a few minutes during the day. Fresh air is wonderful for the spirit.
Get some sunshine: sit or walk in the sun a few minutes a day. Many people underestimate the importance of this.
Try earthing. Go outside, set up a chair, and put your bare feet on the ground. Imagine a golden connection between the Earth and your feet. Then see the negativity in your life, draining out your body, down to the earth. Next, imagine the Earth helping you to resonate or vibrate with her frequency. This is like “tuning up your body”. You don’t have to be spiritual or meditate, your body came from the materials of the earth and the earth can give you a tune up. People tune up their instruments, cars, re-model their houses, etc. but people forget that the body needs to be re-tuned.
You could watch some comedy or television shows and films that lift your spirits. It can be beneficial to watch sad stories if you are looking for a way to release some sadness (great trigger), but long term these will hold you in the frequency of sadness, hopelessness, or victim-hood. You’ll want to find shows that allow you to feel better afterwards, that inspire you and give you hope.
Now that you have found some things that lift your spirits or energy physically, implement them. This means adding it to your daily routine in a way that is meaningful to you. This is where being proactive takes place. Open the blinds or curtains first thing in the morning and greet the day with gratitude. Play the energetic or happy music in the shower while getting ready in the morning, and in the car on the way to work. Begin to wear colors that flatter your own inherent beauty and selected accessories to portray the mood and feeling you want to have. Use the essential oils or mood-enhancing fragrance when you are on a break at your job. Drive a different way home to break up the monotony. Whatever you have found as tools to initially break the spell of depression, use them. All we need is a crack, to begin to let light in.
One thing I suggest to people when they tell me about how bad they are feeling in their current situation, is to drive to the other side of town. Sometimes perspective can help us to see that although we do have some problems, or some really trying circumstances, there is always someone that has it worse. This helps us to feel grateful for the life we do have, even if we hate it at the present time.
Even if we are dying on the inside, once we accept where we are in truth and how we got there, we can change it. The other articles in this series, cover how to heal emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. This is where the real inner work is: changing your thoughts and learning to re-write your story to have the life you want.
