Staying Sane While Raising Your Teens

How to Move Past Holiday Depression

December 6, 2017 at 10:14 pm Leave a comment

Have you ever had the blues and couldn’t shake it off? Last year around the holidays, I was going through life’s storms. My father had passed away at the beginning of the year, and we were having financial difficulties. While Christmas gift-giving was very lean, we enjoyed getting together with our children and other family members.

I was happy to be alive and healthy.     

This year my coaching business has picked up and my husband is working. You would think our holiday forecast would be brighter, (and it is) however there are different challenges. I’m busier than ever before and have little time for thinking and planning. I realize that I have to let some things go. #choices #challenges

As much as I love the holidays, I have mixed feelings about enjoying them because of so many family members we have lost in past years. I think about one of my favorite aunts who is no longer around to say Merry Christmas or my mom who isn’t here to make her delicious almond cookies and listen to my stories.

To move myself past these feelings of loss and sadness, for the last 30 days, I have been telling God & myself 5 things (daily) for which I am thankful. Today was a more emotional morning and I decided to list 10 things. These reminders of things (or people) for whom I am thankful, make me feel blessed for the good that I have. It also keeps me from focusing on what hasn’t happened yet or who is no longer with me.

What I do know, is that as festive as the Christmas holidays are, it also brings up memories of family & friends who are no longer with us. For me, it means not getting stuck in those memories and making new ones instead. Our daughter got married this year and we have a new son-in-law. New memories! One of our nieces had a baby, which means we now have six great nephews! New memories! I’m doing what I love to do which is teach, write books & coach parents on being & doing better.

I know that I am in control of my thoughts, and how I feel is determined by how I view the experiences in life. I can see life as half-empty (depressing) or half-full (promising). So I’m drying my tears and thinking about those 10 things for which I am thankful for. One of them is you!  

C. Lynn Williams

Author & Founder of Finding Superwoman™

http://www.clynnwilliams.com

#Happy Holidays!
#findingsuperwoman

Entry filed under: Christmas, depression, feelings, Holidays, Parenting, sadness, thankful.