Shift your state

How do you get out of a low mood, shift anger, fling off heaviness and come out the other side feeling better? There are no rainbows without rain but try saying that to someone feeling crappy and don’t be surprised if they hurl a chair in your general direction. Feelings are a part of life and sadness is too. Come on, admit you shed some tears in the movie ‘Inside Out’ when this was beautifully illustrated! We’re only human after all and are putty in Pixar’s hands (don’t get me started on that devastating first 5 minutes of “Up”). I heard someone wise saying that if you’re prone to depression and think it’s gone because you feel happy, it’s like deciding that global warming doesn’t exist because it’s cold today (Trump? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?) But how can you shift that s##t and resume skipping through the daisy fields?

Oh no! We have to go through it! As much as you try to go over your feelings (wine) or under them (sleep), they won’t dissipate until you face them square on and feel them. It’s intense and short vs. dull and long term. Allow yourself to feel the full force of your feelings. The eyes-stinging-throat-burning rage, the heavy-hearted-eyes-and-nose-streaming sadness. Lean into it and cry, shout and karate chop household objects.

Say my name, say my name: While you’re in fully-fledged feeling form, name those suckers. Say out loud; I feel angry, I feel sad, I feel ashamed. It’s kinda like the opposite of the Candyman where if you say their names five times into a mirror, they disappear or at least lessen (I’m still having nightmares after seeing this move at a slumber party as a teen). If you’re into EFT, this can be really helpful as you name your feelings while tapping acupressure points. Try it and see. Is it crazy? Or is it so sane that you just blew your mind?

This too shall pass: All feelings are temporary and they will pass. If you’re as hardcore as me, you could get this tattooed as a reminder. Yes you feel crappy right now but you won’t always. You felt happy this morning but this will come and go too. Feelings come and go like clouds in the sky. Some will look like ghosts and some will look like fairy floss.

Move it and lose it: You may not feel like going for a walk or doing 15 burpees but if you can, it will definitely help. Tony Robbins says movement is the quickest way to change your mood, ‘motion creates emotion’. Push yourself out the door for a brisk walk or a yog (it’s a silent j. I’m not sure but apparently you just run for an extended period of time. It’s supposed to be wild). Or you could do some Aerobics Oz Style moves in your lounge room. The quicker your heart rate, the better for shifting negativity.

I spy a speck of silver: Once you’ve changed your state with movement. Start to do some block breathing (in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4) and put your spectacles (or binoculars) on and start looking for a speck of silver lining. ‘Yes, work has been crappy but at least I get to wear that cute name tag’. ‘Yes, I totally embarrassed myself but it’ll make a great blog post one day’. Try to reframe it into gratitude; at least I have a job, blog, cat that I love etc.

Hopefully at the end of this process you will feel better and emerge victorious ready to fight crime in a rubber suit. How do you shake off crappy feelings dear reader?

Love and light and I have many leather-bound books! Xxx Yvette

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Tony Robbins

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