Everyone deals with sadness and loneliness occasionally, even around the holiday season. What should be a joyful time can hold loss, discouragement, and sorrow. Early intervention options can save the day! While I do not profess to be a professional in any mental health field, these opinions and ideas have worked for me. Try the following twelve ideas when you begin feeling blue. Even during COVID 19 restrictions, you too can give holiday depression the boot.
- Put praise and worship music on. Praise music reminds me that there is a God who is in control who loves me. When I sing along, it changes the atmosphere of my heart and mind and gives me hope. Jentezen Franklin wrote about it like this, “The Psalmist wrote: “Seven times a day I praise You” (Ps 119:164 NKJV). Fill your day with praise. Don’t just take coffee breaks and tea breaks, take “praise breaks.” Begin to praise God for two things: (1) His attributes. His power, love, grace, favor, guidance, etc. (2) His acts. Recall His goodness to you. Go ahead; take off the spirit of heaviness and put on the garment of praise today.”
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- Begin a daily devotional or read the Bible to inspire hope. Write a few scriptures down to memorize. Place them around your home and in your car to read aloud when you start to feel disheartened. Isaiah 41:10(KJV) lifts my spirit every time I read it, saying, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Another favorite scripture of mine, Psalms 43:5(KJV) reads, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
- Attend a church service or listen to a sermon online. Faith grows from hearing the Word of God. His truth is good for your mind, body, and soul. Faith and hope work hand in hand to believe that good can happen and things can get better given time. Great support systems are built on foundational beliefs that offer encouragement through difficult circumstances. Attending a church service inspires kindness and love which are uplifting attributes to cultivate to ward off hopelessness.
- Go outside for a brief moment and breathe in some fresh air. Check the mail, look for wildlife like squirrels or birds, say hello to a neighbor, walk the dog, or just look at the sky. Being outside in nature calms the mental chaos inside. When you change up the scenery it allows a brighter perspective.
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- Find things in your life to be grateful for. Start with the small and obvious and move on to searching out more hidden blessings. Write them down or tell them to a friend. Emphasize your blessings more than your worries to keep the blues away.
- Take a short nap on that drizzly damp day. It is perfect sleep weather and most of us are running on half battery this time of year. When we are tired it is easy to become overwhelmed. Sleep deprivation also negatively affects our immune systems making us more vulnerable to becoming sick. So go ahead and take that power nap and rejuvenate your ability to cope better and stay healthy.
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- Pray for someone that is having a difficult time or is ill. When we focus on someone else’s troubles it takes the spotlight off of our own for a while. Praying is a positive action that can bring wonderful results for both you and the recipient of your prayer.
- Clean for half an hour or so in an area of your house that needs it the most. If it is the shoes by the front door then put them away. If it is the dishes in the sink then load the dishwasher or wash them. Do that one area that aggravates you every time you pass by. Holiday depression can increase if you have a messy house not fit for company. Accomplish that for a quick boost to your mood and ability to achieve a goal. It may not be your favorite task to do but it sure will make you feel better after it has been completed.
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- Settle a grievance with your spouse, family member, or friend by forgiving them. Letting the bitterness go from your thoughts and emotions will improve relationships. The holidays will be brighter because of it. For some tips on forgiving, read my article, “7 Reasons To Forgive When It Isn’t Easy to Do,” click here: https://reconfiguringwithgrace.com/?p=570
- Watch a stand-up comedian video on Youtube. Most comic routines last thirty minutes to an hour. Laughter is a great medicine to release endorphins and relieve stress levels. Funny cat or dog videos is another option to get you roaring with laughter and chasing those depressing thoughts away.
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- Join a support group to help you go through the loss of a loved one. GriefShare.org (https://www.griefshare.org/holidays/helpcenter) has local support groups in most major cities in America. It is a Christian-based entity that has programs to help deal with grief especially in the holiday season. You don’t have to grieve alone.
- Talk with a counselor if you need help to get a better perspective on things. Do not think of counseling as a sign of weakness but of strength. It takes a little bit of humility and courage to say you need help. Admitting that you are struggling with depression is the hardest step but will bring the assistance you need to overcome.
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- Depression can make you feel like you are all alone in dealing with the issues of life. That is far from the truth. Reaching out, though it may be difficult, is the first step to prevent serious depression and loneliness from progressing into a deeper state of despair. Call a friend and make plans to do something fun. Keeping it simple and affordable will make it possible to do even on a limited budget. Asking for help is a far healthier way to deal with holiday sadness. When you actively seek to divert depression or accept the need for further treatment to bring healing, happiness will come back into your holiday season.
