Here it is. Your permission slip to feel whatever you are feeling. We really shouldn’t need permission, but I think this time of year especially carries a lot of weight. Oh, the joy of Christmas! Family!#$%@!! Holiday parties @#$#!! Shopping and baking and visiting and all those extra efforts we put out this time of year can leave me depleted. Whenever I get overwhelmed with a feeling that I “should” be happier, more joyful, more grateful, it just makes me feel worse. This time of year can be particularly challenging in that way.
As it happens, I had a little down spike in wellbeing last week TOTALLY unrelated to any of that. In fact, as I look back on it, it was unrelated to any of the facts in my life, but nonetheless, I was temporarily deluged with a wave of sadness, self-pity and anger. As I do a further forensic examination, I can see that it was largely fueled by staying up too late, not having eaten anything substantive that day (read: junk in/junk out), and not getting the same amount of exercise I usually do. When I add those into my life mix, all is well. When I don’t, I’m circling the drain. Big time. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to stay on top of this stuff, but like I’ve written before, it takes eternal vigilance. I guess I’m just weak on that.
The good news is that I have folks around me who don’t let me linger in the swampland for too long. With these feelings, the only way past them is through them. If you dull the feelings, squash them or ignore them, they will rise back up with a vengeance. If you think that drinking or eating them away will work, I’ve got years of experience to share that proves it doesn’t. What usually helps the most is telling someone exactly what’s going on. Without ego or pretense, just let the ugly flow. Without fail, my trusted mates find a way to shine a light on something I didn’t see, or to repaint the picture so it doesn’t look quite so bleak. And honesty, mine’s not bleak at all, but still sometimes the feelings flow…
So if you feel sad, just be sad. You have permission. If you are overwhelmed, take something off your plate. Seriously, practice radical self-care. If you are tired, get some sleep. Hungry=eat. If its cold and miserable (here that means a dip into the 40s–OMG!), you can still find a way to exercise – gyms, yoga class, a brave adventurer bundled up for the outdoors. You know the drill. Taking even the smallest action soothes my soul and restores my sanity.
To help put a smile on your face, today I share with you a picture of me in a panda hat taken at the Panda Research Center in Chengdu, China. Vanity, be gone!
Remember, this too shall pass. Just keep moving.
Boonedoggler 