Once upon a time I was very sad. I didn't know where the sadness was coming from and it became very overwhelming. With a lot of hard work, I found the light. It certainly did not happen smoothly. The important part was the wrestling with it, examining and unwinding each little part, the way we unravel necklaces that are stuck together. Here is a simple list that brought me success:
Acknowledge you feel sad and want to change
Oh this one was hard. Almost the hardest part! I fought it for a very, very long time. My body wouldn't let me ignore it though. Fear, sadness, anxiety kept showing up - first in my mind and then in my body. One day though, I said "THIS IS NOT OK I DON'T WANT TO BE SAD ANYMORE." And that's the moment my life changed.
Write, talk, cry, laugh about it until you understand it better
Let me break each part of this down. Write your feelings out, as you write you'll come to understand. Talk to friends and/or a professional. I have my therapist to thank for so much of my knowledge around emotions, relationships, and positive thinking. Tear down the walls of being sad in silence!! Crying, did alot of that! Just sob uncontrollably and get all "woe is me" for a little bit. But then, here's the deal - you have to laugh for twice the amount of time you were "woe is me". I actually did alot of laughing through my sadness- mostly at accounts like @mytherapistsays who poke at all the silliness in modern life.
Find at least one thing that makes you happy - cling to that
No surprise here, yoga was something I found during my sadness that made me happy. My sadness manifested itself through panic attacks, which made me feel like I was floating in space. Yoga rooted me. It made me realize that the earth was solid beneath my feet. Wherever you find happiness and stability- go there as often as you can.
Be present in each moment - that's when you need your strength
Breathe into each moment. BE THERE. Don't travel to the future or the past. Your present needs you right now.
Have faith that this will make you stronger
It's hard to hear it when you're living it, but it has to be said! No matter what happens, you're getting stronger through your sadness. You're especially getting stronger by working through it and feeling your feelings.
Love yourself every damn step of the way
There's that self-love thing again. It's a skill, a muscle, that we must practice everyday. Even in your darkest moments, the saddest of the sad, speak to yourself in a loving, patient tone.
Sending you love as you being to move into the light. I hope this helps you feel supported and connected. Please reach out if you want book recommendations to help guide you. I have also attached a workbook resource from the Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, which I referenced in my Yoga & Journaling class this week. This is a helpful tool for building the skills to gain confidence, fight anxiety, and develop a positive mindset. Let me know if you need any help breaking it down. See you on the mat:)
All my love!
Christina