Of course you are happy today, isn’t everyone?! It’s Thanksgiving!
Whether you are reading this on Thanksgiving or Christmas or your birthday or on any other “special” day, if you are not feeling happy, don’t think you are the only one.
There can be many reasons for emotional unrest within yourself on days that most people think of as the happiest days of the year. You may;
- be missing someone
- struggling with an anniversary of the death of a loved one
- have just received a difficult diagnosis or maybe a loved one has
- have a difficult relationship with family or friends who will gather round the same table as you
- dealing with a conflict that has flared up with your spouse
- have children who are less than cooperative
- be feeling pressured to “do it all” or be everywhere that everyone wants you to be
- struggling with your own depression or anxiety
Whatever the circumstance, this could be a difficult day for you. What can you do?
- Is there one friend or family member that you can confide in, where you won’t feel judged or made to feel like you are strange for the feelings you are having?
- Can you ask this person to stay close to you. Not glued to you, but to notice you and help you feel engaged?
- You could take a few minutes of alone time to breathe, pray or just take a break.
- If the weather is on your side, you could choose a time to step away for a 15 minute walk or maybe even an hour. Maybe you could engage one or more of those you are with to join you. Get a little fresh air and increase your heart rate. Move the body and the mind usually moves too!
- Can you identify something you would like to do for yourself, like a small craft project, write or read?
- Keep busy. You might feel like sitting in a corner and hoping no one notices, but challenge yourself to lead the dish washing, or serving others.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Don’t ignore your body’s need for water. Self-care really suffers when we feel emotionally miserable.
- Drugs and alcohol are not your friend. Avoid the temptation, if you have it, to get through it by artificially altering your mood. For those who do not struggle with alcohol, there is nothing wrong with relaxing your emotions with a glass of wine if that is something you already partake in and feel comfortable with, but it is not your friend if you are using it to try and transform or numb your emotions.
- If today is before the day, think it through. How do you want to spend the day? Who are “your people?” Where is your support?
Is your friend or relative suffering?
If you are not someone who is feeling miserable, it might feel most comfortable to connect right to the “happy” folks, but lift your eyes to the bigger picture and if you notice someone not connecting, don’t make assumptions that they don’t want to connect and are happy not connecting. They may need a bridge for connection and you may be that bridge.
If you are feeling deep despair, please read this!
Please allow us to pray for you! Tracy Lamperti checks her email daily and while she may not have time to reply to each prayer request, please know that you are being prayed for on this day. Your request will always remain confidential. While Tracy cannot provide mental health services via email or to anyone who is not a currently established client, she and her husband David can and will pray for you. Please use this contact form.
