If you find yourself feeling a little down recently, you are not alone. The changes brought from the CONVID-19 pandemic continues to stand in the way of our daily routine. Extreme weather conditions (floods, fires, storms) in different parts of our country and in the world are causing damages, negatively impacting other people's lives. There is no escape by traveling. There is no escape by gathering with friends in person like we used to be able to do so freely.
In the book "The End of Procrastination", Petr Ludwig and Adela Schicker described the Cycle of Learned Helplessness in the Martin Seligman's experiment. In this experiment, researchers put a rodent into a box and placed a transparent cover on it. The first day the rodent jumped and jumped to try to get out, but it kept hitting its head on the cover. The second day it tried again, but its attempts were more restrained. After a few days, the rodent gave up entirely. When the researchers removed the cover, the rodent never tried to jump out again. This is known as "learned helplessness". If we have enough things to wear us down, eventually we learn to feel helpless and stop trying. What we need to do is to stop that in time before we spiral further down to the point where we could no longer help ourselves.
Here are some tips that may help getting you out of feeling down:
Process your emotions. Don’t let it bottled up. Ignoring your emotions will not magically make it disappear. It will only prolong or delay the consequence for not dealing with it. Try a focused breathing technique to calm yourself down and quiet your thoughts: 1. Deep inhale for 4 counts; 2. Hold your breath for 7 counts; 3. Deep exhale for 8 counts. Repeat for at least 3 times and as many as you need. With a quieter mind, you can deal with your emotions calmly.
Ask yourself why you are feeling the way you are feeling. Why do I feel lousy? Why am I frustrated? As you start asking yourself this, you will begin to notice you are not being unreasonable. If you are, you will be consciously made aware of it. Try to dig deeper into the why by asking the question 3 times. For example: "Why do I feel lousy (first why)? "Because it is gloomy and cloudy outside." "Why do I feel lousy because it is gloomy (second why)?" "Because the gloomy weather brings back sad memories from my childhood." "Why does your childhood memory make you sad (third why)?" "Because it makes me miss my family." Perhaps it is time to pick up the phone and call your family.
Another way to find out why you feel the way you feel is by taking yourself out of the cause of the emotion. Instead of asking “What is wrong with me?”, try asking “What is happening to me?” Doing so may give you a more objective answer.
Change your view of a negative experience to a more positive perspective. If you lost your job, perhaps it is an opportunity in disguise for a career change. If you are in the process of getting out of a bad relationship, maybe it's time you move to a different place city and start anew.
Look forward to the future; be future oriented. Move on from the negative experience from the past. Don't let the past continues to haunt you. What does your future look like? What do you want to devote your time to? What do you want to do to help yourself and help others? If you feel like giving up on something, try to remember the reason why you started to begin with.
Exercise, Drink water. Take a walk outside. Get connected to nature again by talking a walk outside. It can help clear your mind, and break away from the what is trapping you. Stay hydrated by drinking water.
Don’t binge on the news. Take a break from watching the news or playing the news in background. Perhaps play some happy music instead, something that makes you want to move or dance.
Diffuse essential oil in your room - Citrus oil is especially uplifting and can brighten up your spirit. Our favorites are bergamot, sweet orange, and grapefruit. Check out our Bright Day blend for a blended diffusing experience. To get more grounded emotionally, try cedarwood and sandalwood.
Use flower essence - Flower Essence is the vibrational essence derived from plant, flower, and minerals. It is a liquid infusion of a plant’s life-force, containing the bioenergetic imprint of the flowers. Flower Essence is all natural. It does not carry a scent. The Quiet Mind Aura Mist is one of the easiest ways to apply flower essence. Simply spray the mist in your surrounding area before you go to bed, or when you want to turn off the mental chatter and racing thoughts. You can also apply the Quiet Mind flower essence in the form of an anointing oil or an elixir.
Remember, it is ok not to be ok all the time. Take some time to deal with your feelings instead of running away from it. You will be ok before you know it. You got this!
Reference:
Ludwig, P. and Schicker, A. (2018) "How to Stop Postponing and Live a Fulfilled Life". St. Martin's Essentials