Don't Get the Holiday Bluesn~ Learn to deal with some holiday hang-upsnnIt's that time of year where people are more cheerful, helpful, and caring. What a magical experience when so many of us radiate warmth and harmony . . . But amongst the celebrations, there are invariably some individuals who will go through rough moments. Maybe we will go through our own rough moments. How will we get through our challenges? First, let's figure out what kind of challenge we have. This helps us to take actions that make lasting change.nnAre you stressed?nnPerhaps you're the type of person who finds yourself very busy in this season. Your business may pull in more customers during this time, you may be going to many more social events, and you may be trying to host a bunch of relatives visiting from out of town, too. All this can get very hectic!nnOne of the natural ways to alleviate stress is to do relaxing things like taking a walk or watching a movie. Although these activities are sometimes helpful, our minds may continue to "think" -- we continue talking to ourselves about our stresses when we're walking, or we tend to find things in the movie that remind us of our stresses. In essence, we continue to stress ourselves out, trying to relax.nnWhat we may want to do are activities that force our bodies to be active, allowing our minds to rest and NOT think at all. For example, exercise, sports, theatrical acting, and playing a musical instrument are all good activities that allow us to be in the moment. These activities allow us to focus on the task at hand, and consequently, put our stresses to "sleep." Now, our subconscious minds are able to tackle some of the problems we may have been facing. And, our subconscious minds may even come up with solutions without any of our conscious effort. What power!nnAre you depressed?nnFor some people, the holidays can become a reminder of a lost friend, a distant family, or a confused faith. Maybe it doesn't feel right to be "cheery" when we see so much harm, cruelty, and injustice in the world. Perhaps, as we start to reflect on our past year, we feel the pain of disappointments and see the shadows of unfulfilled dreams.nnNo, positive thinking isn't the answer. The holidays are usually a very emotional time for people, having associated deep or unconscious memories of early childhood. Using logic to change our momentary thinking may not work.nnI strongly recommend a book called "Hope & Heroes: Portraits of Integrity & Inspiration." It's all about people who have overcome great adversities and have made our world a better place. Some people we may recognize, like Nelson Mandela and Arun Gandhi (the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi). Some people are amazing activists who we may not recognize, like Julia Butterfly Hill. Julia spent over two years living in a tree -- literally -- as a protest to clear-cut logging. From a radio-powered phone, Julia spoke to the media and gave talks at various conferences!nnThese stories are fascinating, unique, and emotional. They have inspired me, having me realize that those who help transform our world aren't necessarily well known people. In fact, there are so many people, groups, and communities out there that are literally transforming our consciousness and creating a higher level of evolution. Learn more about Hope & Heroes at
http://www.barryshainbaum.com.nnAre you bored?nnThis will relate to the younger readers of this e-zine. Or, if you're a parent, perhaps you've noticed your child has more time on their hands than they know what to do with. There's no school, the weather may make it tough to visit friends, and T.V. just has all the same Christmas-specials from last year!nnI've been bored out of mind, so I know what it's like. Don't tell me, "Oh I can think of LOTS of things you can do . . ." That's not the point. Being bored isn't about not having anything to do. Being bored is not being able to find satisfaction in doing anything. We can be doing something, and still have a feeling of boredom.nnI find the best remedy for boredom is to employ a sense of contribution. Put your thoughts on helping other people. Is there something a family member needed help with that you could now assist them with? How about volunteering for a charity or cause that you believe in? It doesn't have to be anything structured - what about going to our local park and clearing away liter?nnRight now, I'm working on a project with several organizations to raise money for AIDS orphans in Africa. When we try to get rid of boredom by doing an activity, we naturally focus on ourselves and our boredom. On the other hand, when we put our focus on other people, the boredom goes away automatically. It's impossible to feel unfulfilled when we're helping somebody else.nnHow are you?nnWe all have times when we don't feel good. In this intense festive season, we may try a quick-fix to jolt ourselves out of our negative state. Or, we may feel stuck and unable to change. Let's stop and ask ourselves, "What am I feeling -- really?" Uncovering our feelings and getting to the core of our being, is what helps us to transcend ourselves into happier, healthier, people.nn---n