The Blues Hit

What do you do when it seems like you wake up in a blue mood?  It could be hormonal.  It could be circumstances or a series of unfortunate events.  It could be the calendar.  I always seem to be blue right before a holiday.  I am sure the stinkin’ holiday won’t live up to the hype or commercial overtones.  My kids won’t call or I won’t be affording a single present I desired.  Even my little dog seems like a pest and not a comfort when I get like this.

Whatever the reason, the blues come to us all from time to time.  It’s a part of life.  Plus as an artist, we tend to be more emotional than most and feel things more deeply than most.  So what do you do when you just can’t seem to put on a happy face?  Sit down and pout?  Slam doors?  Stay in bed?  Eat a gallon of ice cream?  All of the above?  I find that none of these options gets me anywhere.  No one pets my pity party the way I want them to so why bother.  There are a few things I have found that help.

1.     I like to pull out a new project that I’ve wanted to do or thought of doing for a while.  For instance, I had been working non-stop on a children’s book recently but in the back of my mind, I thought when I had the time I would sew some new tops for myself.  Totally unrelated to the children’s book, but creative nonetheless.  The whole process of using a completely different discipline helped me see the world in a different, less blue, light.

2.     Sometimes it helps to get out and do something physical.  I wonder if the blues aren’t part of the physique telling you that you have need of light and fresh air.  Taking a walk in a park or garden helps.  Go to the beach if you can.  Take a drive with the windows open.  Sit quietly beside the community pool and listen to the birds.  When is the last time you just sat quietly and listened to birds?  Go to the library with no particular research project in mind and walk among the shelves just waiting for something to catch your eye.  This one is one of my favorites because I’m such and avid reader and researcher.  Sometimes it is refreshing to go with no agenda.

3.     Try changing your diet.  A complete change for a day with often flush the system of toxins.  Try no meat for a day or a week.  Try fresh vegetables or even juice some fresh fruits and vegetables together for a change of pace.  I know I will get in a rut eating the same breads and pastas all winter and I’m ready for a dietary shake-up.

4.     Pull out a favorite movie and just relax doing nothing for a couple hours.  Remember to stay away from the tear-jerkers at a time like this.  Even romance can bring you down if the focus of your blues is your spouse.  For a real pick-me-up, try comedy.  The best are the OLD comedies.  Grab a Charlie Chaplin movie or Laurel and Hardy to put a smile on your face.  There is nothing better.

If you have another remedy that works for you, I’d love to hear about it.  On this day before Mother’s Day, I wish all you mothers out there the very best, whether or not your children call you or even send a card.  You know the work you did even if they don’t.