How to Stay Up When the World Wants to Get You Down

Okay, true confessions, I am not always up and positive, I don’t always imagine the best will happen, sometimes I can be laid low by frustrations in business and life. Generally I have conquered the long term depression I was diagnosed with some ten years ago, but it always lurks in the shadows ready to knock me flat when I give in. I’ve been giving in lately and am stepping up my game to win this fight.

I’m telling you this because the holidays can be a particularly precarious time for many, added stress, toxic relatives (we all have them), and unrealistic expectations on all sides. Here are a handful of techniques I use to beat back the blues and knock out depression when it descends.

#1 Do Anything! It is virtually impossible to be truly depressed and be active at the same time. So the antidote to the blues is activity of any kind. That could take the form of exercise, networking, catching up with friends, going out to eat, volunteering, really anything active that gets your mind off yourself.

#2 Call a Friend! I mean a real friend, someone that has seen you through thick and through thin and you have seen them the same way. This person is smart enough to distract you, rather than indulge you, and provide even temporary relief from the gremlins of depression.

#3 Change Your Routine! Often we get stuck in a rut and this makes it much easier to be depressed on schedule, so to speak. When you vary your routine, you knock out that opportunity. Get up earlier or stay up later, change your diet (sugar is a major mood wrecker), do something you’ve never done before, delegate or eliminate distasteful chores. Mix it up.

#4 Hug Your Pet! I have been without my wonderful furry family for over a week and didn’t realize the toll that was exacting. Having them with me this weekend has helped immeasurably, it is unconditional love on both sides and they are moving with me tonite to Atlanta. Now clearly this works best if it is a pet, like a dog, cat, hamster or such. Gold fish are hard to hug, but whatever works for you is what to do.

#5 Reach Out! This is likely the most difficult for those of us who are single and used to it. We pride ourselves on being self sufficient and not needing anyone. RUBBISH! I need people in my life and I need them NOW! I’m betting you do too. Now you may be smarter than I am and have created that support network, I am having to rebuild after two isolated years of virtual living in the mountains. I’ll get there.