Everybody gets the blues. It’s when, no matter how much you love your life, today it sucks. You start to think of how your life in unfair and you look around and everyone else seems to have it better. We are not talking about clinical depression here. Your affect is just blunted. You’re not as smiling as usual. You just feel a little empty inside.
What do you do when you’re feeling empty inside? Is there a deeper message you should be listening to?
First of all, when you get that empty feeling inside pay attention to it. As Dr Dean Ornish put it, “Suffering in its many forms can be a doorway to real transformation, beyond just physical and behavioral changes…Pain is there for a reason. It says, “Hey listen up. Pay attention. You’re doing something that is not in your best interest. Pain is a messenger. It’s information. If we just kill the pain (through overeating, drinking, drug—prescription or otherwise, television, or any of the other things we do) and don’t address the underlying problem—Dr Ornish says that it’s like taking the batteries out of the smoke detector and going back to bed instead of looking for where the fire is.
So, if you’ve got the blues—again, not clinical depression, (although these suggestions will help that too) take a look at your life. Feel your feelings. Is there something that needs to be changed? It might not be a major personal change—it might be a slight alteration of something in your life. Here are some suggestions to look at when you’re feeling empty inside. In all of these suggestions, the goal is to alter your brain chemistry.
F-Focus
What are you focusing on? If you’re focusing on the things that suck, you’re not going to be happy. Instead, focus on positive things. Some days this is really, really hard. So, pick something small. I have this cat who is the most loving, affectionate cat I have ever met. Seriously, this cat will come running across the entire property if she senses someone crying so that she can comfort them. When I’ve got the blues, I can lift my spirits by focusing on this sweet creature who gives nothing but unconditional love.
E-Eat
What you’re eating or not eating can make a major impact on your mood. If my mood takes a dive in the middle of the day, I know that my blood sugar is getting low. Maybe you’re feeling empty inside because you’re LITERALLY empty inside! If you’re attacked with a case of the blues, eat something. But, of course WHAT you eat is just as important. Don’t hit the vending machine. Instead, grab some complex carbs to naturally increase serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is involved in mood. So, you want to eat a complex carbohydrate with some protein. Something like whole wheat toast with peanut butter. Try to get 15 grams of carbohydrate or less, or else your insulin will spike too high. But, really, what you’re eating and when can make a huge difference on your mood.
E-Exercise
Blah blah blah, I bet you’re sick of hearing this. But it’s true. Exercise improves your mood. So, if you’ve got the blues, get moving. Go for a walk. Get outside in nature. Clean your garage. Get moving!
L-Love
Finally, if you’ve got the blues, reach out to those you love. Not for a venting session, but to DO something loving for someone else. Research shows that when people engage in altruistic behavior—doing something for someone else just because, they actually feel better themselves.
In all, just remember. When you get the blues and start to feel a little empty inside, you need to listen to what it’s telling you and then FEEL it.
About Traci Shoblom
Traci Shoblom Vujicich has been a freelance writer since 2000. She's worked with leaders and celebrities in almost every field, including Ken Blanchard, Brian Tracy, Marshall Goldsmith, David Bach and T. Harv Eker. She's also written four books and is working on another. Check her out at TheRightWriter.com
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