Positive Focus Thursday - How I Pull Myself Out Of A Hole

I mentioned in my post on Tuesday I use my planner to help me determine if I am slipping into a 'hole' or rather if depression is creeping up on me.

There are some simple 'clues' which let me know depression is creeping up on me are small things. Things like dishes in the sink, floor needing sweeping or vacuuming, just sitting and watching TV while playing games on my phone.

In the past, I didn't recognize them for what they were - red flags! 

Now that I do know about them, I have created some ways to help pull myself out of the 'hole' and to get back on an even keel. 

I do have to add a note - now that I am working 40 hours a week again, some housework is slipping, not that I have ever been a 'white-glove' cleaner.

Anyway...

So how do I reverse the process?

• Decorate my planner pages 

I usually 'notice' I am getting on the edge when I am not 'working' my planner like I should be. I'm not checking it in the morning and evening. I am not recording to-dos or crossing items off my list. I make myself stop and start prioritizing my lists again and pick out tiny items to accomplish.

• Plants

I make myself check my plants. Once I start I can feel an immediate uplifting of my mood as I water plants which desperately need water and some TLC. This can be both inside or outside. It can also mean I go get some flowers from the store and place on my desk or in my bedroom to cheer me up. I might drive about 2 miles away to a local nursery and walk through their greenhouses, touching the plants and breathing in the warm, humid air.

• Candles and/or Aromatherapy

Scents have a strong effect on me. Just lighting some candles in my bedroom or computer room and allowing the smell to waft through the house help improve my spirits. I will also crank up my diffuser and have it generate 'happy' scents. I use citrus oils or rosemary for this. I can sometimes find a premixed oil which is for uplighting or energizing your mood. Incense will work for me too.

• Get my hands on fabric or fibers

Pulling out and continuing a project or starting a new project which engages my mind and hands helps a lot.

• Make myself a nice meal

While it might be something I have to 'force' myself to do, fixing a meal and plating it up nicely and mindfully eating the meal helps. Making bread - digging my hands in the dough and smelling it baking works. Same thing with making cookies. How can you feel bad when you smell cookies baking?

• Getting out into nature

It does seem a bit harder here in North Carolina since I am in the middle of a large urban area to get out into nature, but it is doable. There are plenty of parks near me. So getting out and taking a walk, especially if I take Amani along, will raise my spirits.

• Turn up the music and clean!

I will tune into Pandora and crank up some Donna Summers or BeeGees, maybe some salsa, anything which can get me 'dancing' around the house and I'll start on the pile of dishes or vacuuming the floors.

These are things which work for me. They may or may not work for you. Take a minute and make a list of what makes you happy and can pull you off that slippery slope and have it ready to go when you need it.