There are some days when you just can’t, won’t or don’t feel like doing shit.  Today is one such day for me. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond my control have caused me to stay home and not be very mobile, even in the confines of my own place.  Okay fine, it’s that time of the month.  I’ve been really thrilled about not actually feeling blue lately, because in the past, they’ve been really, really dark. But , yea, today’s one of those days. I’m guessing it’s because I’ve got so much to do and yet…

I. don’t. want. to. do. shit!

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got tons of stuff on your mental to-do list and you honestly don’t have time for the blues.

So what do you do to shake them off?

As I’ve warned you from the get-go, I’m no expert.  I don’t know a damn thing about the marvelous cures for depression and to be honest I don’t think that Big Pharma does either!  But I’d like to think I have the actual condition down pat, so I’d like to share with you a few things I’ve done to shake them off.

Mind you, each one of these is really dependent on where you are when the moment hits you. As for me, I’m home (alone) at the moment, so any of these usually do the trick without affecting anyone, except maybe my cats.  (Also, this is by no means a replacement for medical treatment.  Don’t take my advice if what you really should be doing is seeing a doctor!)

1) EAT.  I’m not saying go all 9 1/2 weeks at the fridge!   But sometimes when you feel like you have the blues or feelings of anxiety, you need to eat.  Maybe your blood sugar is low and you can’t think straight.  If anything, the time it takes you to prepare your meal and then eat your food may very well be just enough time for your mind to quiet itself from those anxious thoughts. The routine of the process might even be the distraction you need from your depressing thoughts.

2) MEDITATE.  Lately, I’ve discovered that when my brain is on overload and I’m feeling overwhelmed, like today big time, I really crave me some meditation!  In fact, today I walked aimlessly around the house, fully aware of all I had intended to do today, and literally kept freezing in my steps because the moment I would take action, the blues reminded me that, nah, we’re not gonna do that either. So in fighting my own mind I realized I need to just stop everything! Stop my racing mind, stop moving about the house, and simply stop, and be still. However you still yourself, whether it be meditation or prayer, intentionally quieting your mind is like a reset button.  So if you feel overwhelmed or depressed, go on…press your reset button.

3) DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING!  I know. When I feel depressed or anxious the last thing I wanna do is take action and actually do the shit that’s causing me to lose it in the first place! However, normally the anxiety or depression comes when there’s a lot going on upstairs.  From too much laundry  to too much death in this world.  You simply can’t wrap your mind around it all so you collapse into this pit of darkness and/or hysteria.  But there truly is something to be said for that sense of accomplishment you get when checking something off of your mental to-do list.  Take one task at a time. Tackle the smallest and simplest one first.  Hey, if it’s brushing your teeth, then check that puppy off and move on to the next one.  Baby steps, will get you there and get you out.  Sometimes, you just have to be the mom you need, to yourself, when no one else is there to nudge you forward, and get you moving again.

4) DON’T DO SHIT.  On the flip side, sometimes you just have to say, f*ck it!  Sometimes, what you need is to crawl under the blankets, hide in the closet or simply run away. Now, I’m not advocating you head out on the next train with a one way ticket.  I’m simply saying that sometimes, just sometimes, you just need to temporarily stop everything you’re doing and just crawl into bed and hide.  If you’re anything like me, you’ll fall asleep.  Yup, I’ve fallen asleep in the closet before.  But that’s just what it took to get me out of my funk that day.

5) STOP THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF.  Its been said many times before but its definitely worth repeating.  Doing something nice for someone else will make you feel good and stop your negative thoughts.  It doesn’t have to cost you a dime.  Visit someone you haven’t seen in a while who may be confined in their own home or give them a call and listen. Give to the needy, a jacket, a blanket a home cooked meal, whatever you think they could really use, give and give from your heart.  Pay for a meal for someone around you at a restaurant. If you can’t seem to get out of your funk and feel like you are just going through the motions, try helping someone else and see if that doesn’t stop your blues dead in their tracks. Helping someone else, helps you in so many ways.  Try it.

I hope you found my list helpful.  If you have anything to add, please tell me about it below!  I’d love to read how you tackle your blues and maybe try them out for myself next time.