2pm
Feelings of sadness come over all of us from time to time. It’s completely normal to feel a tad melancholy. I know I sometimes find myself thinking, “I don’t know what’s wrong with myself, I’m just feeling out of sorts!” When this last happened, I set about thinking about the things that made me feel better, that didn’t include a chunk of chocolate cake!
1. Laughter
The other day, I found this video on Facebook and it so struck a chord with my funnybone. Although I was alone, I sat and laughed and laughed and laughed. It was therapeutic. It’s 13 minutes long, but I watched the whole 
thing again with Mike and then listened to it all again while David was watching it. Laughter is a fabulous medicine and great doses should be prescribed for every day. If you can’t laugh, put a timer on and smile for 2 minutes. You won’t believe how it changes how you feel!
This is the link to the video…
2. Exercise
Nothing beats the blues like exercise. Best kind of exercise is cardio – really get your heart beating and run up a sweat. The endorphins that come out of exercise will leave you with a happy glow for several hours to come. It actually will change your day!
3. Sunshine
Okay, so maybe you can’t get the exercise you need, but if you can seek out some sunshine, it’s soothing warmth will definitely lift you up. In winter months, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, Seasonal Affective Disorder is not uncommon. Long periods of overcast and dreary weather 
with limited sunshine results in a low grade depression that is frustrating and debilitating. Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we have an abundance of sunshine – take advantage of it, but don’t overdo it! The main reason you want to seek out the sunshine when you are feeling fairly vrot, is to get you outside – focusing on something bright and getting your mind off your sadness. The last thing you want to do when you are feeling blue is to spend the day in a darkened room curled up in the foetal position in bed. So seek the sunshine & a natural dose of Vitamin D.
4. Do Something for Someone Else
This is a great distraction. Find someone in need and help them out. It may be visiting an elderly person or an orphanage to play with children. When you look towards 
helping others, it makes you feel good about yourself and gives you a great sense of well-being. Boredom and too much time are friends of depression. Find occupation, even in a voluntary capacity. If you can’t get out to do something for someone else, do something for yourself. Clean out the linen cupboard, do a bit of gardening, make something. Do something that will distract you.
5. Don’t Compare
Others around you may seem to be leading full, happy, exciting lives. You may look at them and get feelings of jealousy. Don’t compare yourself or your life to anyone else. No matter who you see in life, how successful they may seen, they have had it hard at some time in their lives. They also get fed up and miserable! In the Bible, there’s a guy who pretty much lived alone, got jailed, beaten, shipwrecked, was hungry and persecuted. Yet he said, “I have learnt to be content whatever my circumstances.”
The secret to happiness is learning that contentment. Count your blessings. Be grateful. Nuture an attitude of gratitude. No complaining. No pity parties. Stay positive and keep the smile going and you’ll soon find yourself sweeping away any signs of misery. God is with you and He will never let you go and as Philippians 4:13 says, you can do all things with Christ who gives you strength. You need nothing more! Keep going!
And so on we go!
A week or so ago, I asked you to pray for Mike’s brother-in-law – his sister, Monica’s husband, Brian. Sadly, he never recovered from major surgery and yesterday morning, the doctors switched off his ventilator and he slipped into eternity 30 minutes later. Life is short. We must appreciate every single day!
God bless you!
You are in His Grip!
Helga xx 🙂
Gratitude Pic…perfect proteas from David for Mother’s Day…
6 Responses to Feelings of Sadness…