7 Severn

The Britannica Dictionary states: –

Melancholic:
Very sad: gloomy

Depressed:
Feeling sad.
Having a serious medical condition that causes a person to feel very sad, hopeless, and unimportant: Suffering from mental depression.
Less strong, active, high, etc., than usual.

Sorrowful:
Feeling or showing sadness: full of sorrow.

In last week’s blog, I offered 3 suggestions to encourage motivation and hope they offered some comfort to those of you, who were experiencing those emotions.

I continue this week, with that thread, by offering a further 4 suggestions to build up your toolkit, should you be faced with today’s topic of conversation.

Disclaimer:
We are not Medical Practitioners. Our ideas, suggestions and/or techniques. Do not replace that of a qualified Medical Practitioner. Should you require Medical assistance or advice, then please seek it accordingly.

Onto todays suggestions. Read through them first and decide if you wish to continue, or move on to the next suggestion: –

                    Staying With Emotions.

We will carry out a Body Scan and this one will help with your Grounding, during difficult emotions.

Get into a comfortable position taking full deep breaths. Feel the expansion on the inhale and let it all go on the exhale.

When you feel ready:
Begin at the head and move (scan) through the body, ending with the tips of your fingers and toes.
As you do so, notice where you may have tension – are you clenching your jaw for instance? As you notice tension, just begin to relax the area a little.

Notice where you feel the emotions physical expression right now. It is natural to want to dispel them. Yet for this exercise, see if you can just sit with them using kindness and curiosity. Allow your breathing to become natural and notice any labels that you may come up with. They may be physical or emotional.

Does labelling change your experience in any way?
A past thought of an experience you once had may come up at this time. This too is natural. Notice if it brings with it emotional or physical sensations. Then come back to your current moment and notice what is more prominent.

If this is/or becomes physically uncomfortable. Create space around the area and see what else may be there. Can you find the edges of the sensation? See yourself breathing into this space, allowing it to soften.

You may carry out this exercise for as long as you wish. In doing so, stay connected with any physical manifestation – such as tightness. We call these “aspects” when looking at “Tapping” to assist our current states.

                           Three Good Things

This is a simple yet powerful exercise. The intention is to increase happiness and wellbeing, by moving away from the negative and into more positive thoughts.

Each night before you go to sleep:

Think of three good things that happened today: They can be very small things, or major events in your day.
Write them down.
Reflect on why they happened: For instance. If your breakfast tasted particularly good today, this may be because you watched it being prepared and saw the work that went into delivering it to you.

You may use this exercise in addition to the 5 Things Gratitude exercise mentioned last week. As they go well together.

                  Scheduling Something Pleasant.

This suggestion may be attached to the visualisation mentioned last week: what does my ideal day look like.

Again, this may be something major or minor for you.
Brainstorm one or more activities that you enjoy and can bring into your day. Involve any supportive people in this decision, that you may have.

Once complete. Select one or more that you feel you would like to do. Plan to include it in your day/week.

While you are carrying out your chosen activity, be mindful of the experience – focusing on the feelings, thoughts, emotions and sensations.

After a few days/weeks. See how things are now with yourself. Does it need more? This would be a good time to start a daily journal – if you’re not already doing so.

If you’re not sure what you would like to do, that is OK.

                               Humour Therapy.

This exercise is one I have used and continue to use whenever I need a quick boost.

You may wish to begin this exercise by stretching first of all, to loosen up any tension that may hold you back.

Then you literally just start laughing. You’ve probably heard the expression “Fake it ’til you make it.” It really is that simple. Pretty soon, the act of faking it will take over and real laughter will take over, as you begin to feel better.

I remember a time I was visiting with a brother and his family. We had gone out for lunch on this particular occasion and there were 6 of us around the table. We’d got to the stage where the conversation had come to a lull and I noticed we were all just staring forward. Not looking or noticing anything in particular.

I couldn’t resist and just started chuckling to myself, which got increasingly louder. Then. one by one, the whole table we’re laughing but didn’t know why. I told them what had happened and we laughed again.
It is contagious and well worth it. Try it out for yourself.

Thank you for reading and I hope this helps.

Next Week. We’re discussing: Disappointed – Dismayed – Displeased.

Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR!