How To Conquer Holiday Blues

This is the time of year were good tidings and holiday cheer fill the air. Everyone is nicer, people are more patient and kinder it seems, those who tend to hold back are in a giving mood. And all is right with the world... Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year! Every year I get excited to see the decorations, hear the music and watch the movies the season brings. It puts me in a cheerful mood.

But for those of us who have had a rough year, experienced loss, heartbreak, don't have family, don't have enough money to get your kids the gifts they want, or dealt with any kind of sadness, the term seasons greetings gets lost in translation. Each year since embarking on this fertility journey I was excited for the thought of us expanding our family. I thought about what our first Christmas would be like. I dreamed about how happy we would be to see those beautiful eyes staring at us in awe of the holiday. When we found out we were finally pregnant I was shocked but couldn't help but think about how exciting this holiday would be with a new addition. And then we lost the baby. Suddenly I didn't want to see, think or hear anything about the holidays. I was angry. I didn't understand anything and questioned everything. I lost the joy I look forward to and gave into pessimism and bitterness. It only made me feel worse and I missed out on something I look forward to every year because life didn't work out the way I thought it would or the way I thought it should.

So I decided to make a different choice from now on. Then, I was reminded to look around at all of the blessings I have been afforded in this life. From the kindness of a stranger to hugging my amazing husband and picking up the phone to hear my mother's voice. I beat the holiday blues because I chose gratitude. I realized that life happens to all of us and my struggle may not be yours but we all have one. In this fast paced technology driven world we now live in it's easy to scroll through someone's Instagram page and wish you had the things they did or their life. Never taking into account that those pictures are a snap shot of their lives (and only the best parts). I looked up from all my research, blogs, complaining forums and magazines and decided to live. This is the only life we have and we can complain about all the things we don't have or relish in what we do.

Top tips to get out of a funk:

1. Pick up a new hobby. Is there something you've been dying to do, but have been too afraid to give a try?

2. Go on a social media fast and turn off your phone (trust me I do this often) and it really helps. Instead of picking up my phone immediately I have decided to pick up a book (not on the kindle) a real book.

3. Say Thank You. Before my feet hit the floor and before I go to bed at night I thank God for another day and think back to everything that happened that day that I am grateful for.

4. Get dressed and go out! Spa, Happy Hour, whatever...

5. Take a walk (enjoy nature)

6. Meditate (it's about quieting your mind for 10-15 minutes out of your day).

7. Pray (and pray some more)

8. 8. Service (if we are focused on how we can help someone else it takes the focus off of us).

9. Call a friend (or sister, or therapist) whoever you have in your life

10. Binge watch a new series (we recently got rid of cable and I don't know why I've been holding on to it for so long! I'm obsessed with Amazon Primes shows and Hulu).

No matter what life brings we can choose who will be and how we will live. Don't let this life take you under, enjoy it because it is fleeting and is not promised to us. Practice gratitude and the rest will fall into place.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!