Spring may be around the corner, but the cold, haze, and grey of winter is still around. It’s easy to feel down this time of the year.
In the YouTube video, “Spark: A Visual Poem,” author Meghan Reinks talks about what you need to hear when you feel defeated. In the video, Reinks says that “it’s about recognizing the moments in which you feel alive.”
You won’t be happy all of the time. Life is difficult, and some days just won’t allow you to be happy. After all, we are human and sometimes we fall. That’s why it’s important to remember those times in which you felt truly alive (when running, when you see a sunrise, when you gave birth to your child, when you were on a special date with your partner, etc.) so that you can recall back to those happier moments in times of darkness.
“Darkness,” as Reinks puts it, can refer to many different things:
- The feeling of being in the background
- Going through a difficult time in your life
- The feeling that something is “wrong” with you, whether it be your health, your body, etc.
- Not knowing where you belong
- The feeling of being underappreciated
So besides remembering the good times you felt alive, how else can you begin to feel better?
Find Your Support System. The beautiful thing about life is that we don’t have to face it alone. Tell a trusted friend, family member, co-worker, or therapist about what you are going through. They can help you sort through your thoughts and give you strength, help you move forward, and reach for the next goal. The emotional tone of a tough situation can be transformed by people who are offering up encouragement to you.
Encourage Others. Encouraging others and seeing them happy can give you a sense of happiness, too. When you see a friend who is discouraged, listen to their struggles and if you can, offer them practical help. Offer them advice (if you can), give them the name of a therapist or support group, offer to go to the movies or out for ice cream with them, or just be there for them.
Know That You Are More. You are more than the size of your jeans, or the number on a scale. You are more than the grades you have, the sports you play, the job you have, the amount of money you make. You are more than your battle, whether that be with infertility, anxiety, depression, or autism.
If you’d like to set up a time to meet up with Reka, you can contact her by phone at 402-881-8125, by email at reka@omaha-counseling.com, or via Twitter or Facebook.