Source: Heimarts
The Blues
We define the blues as a feeling of sadness. When we have the blues, we feel gloomy and pensive. We may also feel lonely and abandoned. A lack of energy and a lack of motivation are also characteristics of having the blues. We may feel like sinking into despair.
My painting above, in which I used acrylic paint on canvas, seeks to depict this melancholy feeling. It describes a turmoil of emotions swirling around.
It is important to state that having the blues is not the same as being depressed. Whereas we all experience occasional sadness from time to time, depression is more permanent. Depression can be fatal as some people who have depression have suicidal thoughts. In cases of depression, it is imperative to seek professional medical help.
Beating the Blues
We can beat the blues by observing these 8 principles whenever we feel sad and downcast:
1. Pay Attention to Spiritual Health
It is generally important to pay attention to our spiritual health but even more so whenever we feel sad. When we pray to God for help, we learn to stop worrying and to let go of the reins of control. We are rather in a positive, expectant state, waiting for an answer to our prayer. Knowing that there is a Greater Being in control reduces our stress and gives us a sense of peace.
When we practise an attitude of gratitude and thank God for all His manifold blessings upon our lives, this, in turn, unleashes a positive feeling in us. This beats the blues as it is quite difficult to count your blessings and to be despondent at the same time.
2. Have a Balanced Diet
We are what we eat. A balanced diet rich in nutrients and in the right proportions nourishes the body. On the other hand, eating too much of anything, especially junk food, results in a feeling of bloatedness and general, physical discomfort. This physical discomfort can, in due course, escalate into other diseases. We are more prone to getting the blues when we are sick. Thus, eating well helps to beat the blues.
3. Prioritise Exercise
We can cope with the blues by prioritising exercise. This does not necessarily mean going to the gym every day or running a marathon. Even if we cannot jog, run, swim or do aerobics, we can deliberately lead an active lifestyle every day to avoid a sedentary existence. How about taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator? How about doing some push-ups in front of the television?
We could also park our cars a few miles from our various destinations so that we walk a bit to get there. Health experts note that exercise releases endorphins into our bodies. Endorphins relieve pain, reduce stress and improve our sense of well-being. Thus, exercise is a means of beating the blues. As the saying goes, “A sound mind in a sound body.”
4. Enjoy Nature
Enjoying nature is also another way to beat the blues. When sitting in a garden, walking through a park or relaxing at a beach, we can deliberately admire nature. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the flowers, the different shades of leaves on different trees and the lush foliage. Marvel at the force of gushing waves against the shore at a beach. Be filled with wonder when you consider the vastness of the sky. Enjoy the freshness of a cool breeze against your cheeks and rejoice in being alive. This is a sure way of beating the blues.
5. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Ensuring that we get a good night’s sleep is a way of beating the blues. According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep is a time for the brain and body to engage in vital growth and repair. The Sleep Foundation states that when we get a good night’s sleep, we feel refreshed, alert and ready to begin a new day. On the other hand, it states that there are short term and long term effects when we don’t get adequate, quality sleep.
It states that in the short term, poor sleep leads to problems with memory, concentration and mood. It also leads to daytime sleepiness. Also, in the long term, poor sleep is linked to a higher chance of developing diabetes, obesity and heart disease. As such, not getting adequate sleep seems like a way of inviting the blues whereas getting a good night’s sleep is a way of keeping the blues at bay.
6. Practise Altruism
Altruism is a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others. Practising altruism is a way of beating the blues. When we go out of our way to help others by either lending a helping hand in a task, or providing the means to achieve an objective, we shift the focus from ourselves to the other person.
We thus feel a sense of achievement of purpose which in turn, makes us happy and fulfilled. As such, in helping others, we help ourselves. No man is an island. Reaching out to others therefore helps us to beat the blues.
7. Immerse Yourself in Your Work or Hobby
When we are deeply engrossed in our work or hobby, we have little thought for anything else. As such, we are too busy to entertain sad, gloomy thoughts. Although I am by no means advocating workaholism, being absorbed in our work keeps us focused on the task at hand and promotes productivity.
Similarly, immersing ourselves in our hobbies make us happy. When we are involved in gardening, cooking, decorating a home, or other arts and crafts, our creative abilities are awakened. We are therefore content and there is no space for the blues.
8. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Not comparing ourselves to others is a means of beating the blues. When we compare ourselves to others that we perceive to be better off than us in terms of material possessions, social status, health, beauty, brains, good fortune, etc., we are bound to feel gloomy and disheartened. We should bear in mind that all that glitters is not gold. The people that we place on a pedestal, being human, have their own faults and challenges. However, we see them from afar and think that everything is perfect and that they have no problems.
Rather than compare ourselves with others, we should try to develop and achieve our full potential. Therefore, our goal should not be to keep up with the Joneses, but to be the best that we can be. This will help us to beat the blues.
Do you have any more ideas as to how to beat the blues? Kindly share them with us as well as any other comments that you have. You may comment by clicking on the chat icon underneath the heading.
Would you like to try your hands at gardening to keep the blues at bay? Planting something and seeing it grow after a while is very therapeutic and lifts up the spirits. Kindly check out this FiveJoy Garden Tool Set as shown below. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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