Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:10:39 -0700WeeblyWed, 07 Mar 2012 09:49:58 -0700http://www.howtofeelgood.org/2/post/2012/03/chat-chew-and-chocolate-invitation.htmlAll women in the Phoenix area are invited to a Chat, Chew, and Chocolate coffee at my house today, March 7th, at 3:45 p.m. Free. Casual.  No snobs.  No gossip.  Light refreshments. Come chat with some friendly people! 
  
Details here:  You are Invited!
]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:26:28 -0700http://www.howtofeelgood.org/2/post/2012/03/the-magic-wand-for-depression.htmlWhen I was a child, my mom kept a stick on top of the washing machine.  Whenever my sister or I misbehaved, Mom grabbed the stick , we ran fast, and she chased us.  We’d try to run and hide behind the coats hanging in the closet, but she would always find us, yell at us, and hit us with the stick.

Now Mom is older and mellower, and she has apologized profusely for her harsh ways of the past.  She is a good friend and an ardent supporter of all my creative activities.   

I found a trick to erase the past.  I now keep a “magic wand” on top of my washing machine.  Whenever I feel like it, I pick it up, touch it’s crystal head upon each of my shoulders and the crown of my head, while saying, “ I pronounce myself Queen of Joy and Organization” or whatever I need pronouncing for that day.  The wand is made from a curtain rod with a multi-faceted glass ball on the end. 

I keep more magic wands in pencil holders and drawers around the house.  They are costume wands I’ve found at yard sales.  One of my good friends keeps a wand at her house too, and we crown each other “Queen of Peaceful Abundance” and other fun titles as we see fit.  It is powerful to physically emphasize the positive pronouncement.  

]]>Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:22:44 -0700http://www.howtofeelgood.org/2/post/2012/03/depression.htmlAre you a highly sensitive person—easily depressed, anxious, or irritated?

Here is one of the most powerful tools I’ve developed over the past twelve years since I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.  I call it “Bites and Bridges.”

I must stay extremely aware of being “bitten” with a bad mood. I must know my trigger points.  I must recognize the moment a downward spiral begins.  Some of the most common triggers for myself and other bipolar people I've talked with are: physical pain (especially a flare-up of chronic pain), financial worries, or insensitive remarks by a family member.  

A computer freezing up or running slowly, difficulty learning a new computer skill, or misplacing car keys are other common triggers.  Basically, resistance to what is happening right now--not getting the outcome we hoped for--can be the start of the two-year-old-within throwing a tantrum.

So I keep a list of Bridges Back to Sanity:

Move away from the source of irritation—stand up and leave the room

Go outside—connecting with nature is calming, balancing, and renewing

Touch plants, water plants, do some gardening of any sort for a few minutes

Take a walk—don’t drive

Jolly Giant:  I imagine my strong, calm side growing ten stories tall while my problems shrink to the size of an ant I could easily squash.

Watch funny videos on YouTube

Drink a big glass of water

Pet the cat or dog

Ask myself:  Have I eaten today?  Have I taken my proper meds?

Do some yoga poses

Lift weights

Meditate

Rest

A relaxing bath (if there’s time for this luxury)

Splash water on my face

Read poems or an uplifting book
Read an uplifting blog or website about managing depression such as this one or others: A Splintered Mind, or  FindingOptimism.com and the blogs recommended there:  Good Depression Blogs

Say affirmations out loud such as “I know just what to do, and I do it now!” or “I am joyful inspiration!”

Start saying “Thank You” to everything around me:  “Thank you, pen for the gifts you bring to me.”  “Thank you, lamp, for the gifts you bring to me.”  “Thank you, body, for the gifts you bring to me...”  You can never be too thankful.

Watch birds

Write, journal, or draw

Complete a small task like sweeping the kitchen floor

Watch TV—distraction from worries

My husband and I have a standing rule:  If we start to argue, we quit talking and start writing our feelings down instead—then we hand each other the paper we’ve written, write a response to that, and continue until we feel some resolution.  This prevents shouting really stupid things to each other.

I suggest that you write down a list of your most common “bites” or triggers.  And more importantly, write a list of your “bridges.”  Use my list of bridges if you’d like—I call it my “Turn-a-crappy-day-into-a-happy-day kit.”  Add to it.  Modify it.  Hang it up in your office.

It takes careful preparation to manage your moods: 

* Keep some healthy snacks readily available, such as cashews, soup, sunflower seeds, carrots, or  apples

*Put an understanding friend or two on speed dial

* Keep a list of affirmations handy

*Set up a bird feeder by your window

*Give yourself permission in advance to remedy a mood immediately rather than let it spiral to an unmanageable state.

I still have a sensitive nature.  But now I am able to minimize my downward spirals.  My life becomes smoother and happier all the time.  The whole universe is there to support me—and to support you too! 
]]>Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:38:18 -0700http://www.howtofeelgood.org/2/post/2011/11/chat-chew-and-chocolate-poems.htmlI enjoyed reading two poems on friendship at the Chat, Chew, and Chocolate party last night! ]]>