The Moody Blues and I

In late November out nowhere I was hit with the dreaded blues.

For two weeks straight I was in the funkiest of funky moods that I could not seem to shake. It seemed like I was crying every other day and barely wanting to get out the bed. What was most frustrating is that I could not pinpoint what was causing me to feel so hopeless.

Thankfully for the past few years I have developed a few key strategies that help me whenever the moody blues hits. I thought it would be helpful to share with my readers my top five proven tips that I have used to cut down the time I spend at my self-inflicted pity party and also allows me to come out with a sense of renewal.

Tip #1 - Meditation

The practice of meditation has been around for centuries and I see why spiritual masters preach about its benefits. My meditation practice has been life-changing and lifesaving. Although I have had a routine of daily prayer for years, I never took the time to stop and simply listen to what the Creator wanted me to know. Like most, I just rattled off what I wanted. After the death of my mother, the breakup of my relationship, and the ending of major friendships, I was pretty much forced to shut the f*ck up. What I love about meditation is that it quiets the constant mind chatter and relaxes the body. It is in that quietness I believe that Spirit reveals what steps we should take to move forward and the purpose of certain circumstances. I have learned that there is no one way to meditate and in the beginning I enjoyed guided meditations. But sometimes just sitting still and focusing on my breathing brings instant comfort to my overactive brain. Play around with what feels good to you and in due time you’ll begin to reap the rewards of meditation.

Tip #2 - Music

I do not know what my life would be like if there was no music. For me, music is life and love. I am convinced that music is one of God’s biggest gifts to us. When listening to music, no matter how old the song may be, it has the ability to transform my mood almost instantly. My go-to choice for a quick pick me up is gospel or yoga/New Age music. However, on some days I want to just sing and dance so Beyoncé or pretty much anything from the 80s will bring back those high vibes. Regardless of your musical taste, it is no doubt that music can help uplift your mood.

Tip #3 - Exercise

We all know that exercise has all kinds of health benefits so I won’t bore you with listing all of them. However, exercise not only aides in better physical health, it also helps in your mental health. Exercise releases those good feeling endorphins which help reduce stress so it is perfect for battling The Blues. Personally, I now exercise mainly for this reason. At first, it was about maintaining my over 40lb weight loss but gradually I found that when I was feeling sad or anxious that when I did some type of exercise (yoga, HITT, jogging, etc.) my mood was lifted. I currently go on walks with my kids, so not only am I getting the exercise they are too and an added bonus is that we get some much needed family time. Exercise is truly a win-win.

Tip #4 - Journaling

I am a writer and I have been journaling for as long as I can remember. Something about writing your deepest thoughts out helps in putting things in their proper perspective. No matter what is troubling you, journaling will allow you to work out your feelings in a safe non-judgmental way. Journaling requires no special skills or equipment. Just paper, pen, and yourself. You cannot get it wrong and you will be so amazed when you go back and read all that you have overcome.

Tip #5 - Practicing Gratitude

Gratitude is a gateway to manifesting better to come your way. Even when you are in the midst of a storm there is always something to be thankful for. It does not have to be anything big but even simply being grateful for having a cup of water is enough to gain some momentum. Practicing gratitude allows you to see how life is not so bad. Although this isn’t a quick mood lifter it has long-term benefits that will help you navigate future trials. Also, if you do start journaling I recommend starting out with a simple gratitude journal. The 30-Day Gratitude Challenge is a great way to get started.

Please note, sometimes no matter what you do there will be days where you cannot see the sun peeking through the clouds and that is okay. Don’t be hard on yourself and let whatever emotions that come up flow. I have learned from experience that suppressing them only makes the journey harder than it should be and you just might miss the blessing of the situation.

Blessing and Love,

Sticky <3