November is a month that I often feel blue! Not 100% sure why. I do believe though that there are a couple of contributors. One is Remembrance Day. I think of all the young men and woman who have defended their countries and have lost their lives when they are barely out of their teens. This hit home with me when I was in Italy with my childhood friend. We visited a gravesite at Monte Cassino. There were so many young men there whose average age was 20! It was mainly Canadian and British in this cemetery. The cemetery was well maintained and so beautiful with its water features. We were both tearful thinking of our young men buried far from home.
I also think of my Dad at this time of year. He had served in the RCAF out in British Columbia where he strung bell lines on poles. They also were there to guard the West Coast. He and 4 others were isolated in a cabin with only a supply boat coming in every couple of weeks. I remember him telling us how they fired a warning shot over the bow of this boat as the Captain had decided not to navigate the rough waters to see them. The supplies were not even the major reason for such a drastic reaction. The letters from home were a life line to these men who shared the wilderness with the cougars, coyotes, bears etc. They DID get their supplies that day!
November is a time to remember my Dad and all his stories. He never felt like a true vet as he did not go overseas. In his later years he did begin to see that he had contributed to his country by following orders given to him.
The second reason is that November is a between month for me. That is –between fall and winter. There is a short period of time that the beauty of the leaves brighten our lives as they dance in the wind. Then the reality of clean up and snow pending takes place. I do love to take the composted material to place on the rose roots and then pile leaves on top of that. In the spring this gives the roses a new lease on life. This year I cleaned up the leaves in the rain. Freezing rain that is! I had procrastinated in doing it earlier! Lesson learned for next year.
So — feeling blue –. It sometimes is not easy to find the exact source of this feeling. You could be having a wonderful day and boom — there it is. Sometimes I wonder if we do not give ourselves our due. For example: When you have achieved an amazing week, do you give yourself credit for this, OR do you just think you could have done more or done it much better? Being hyper critical will contribute to feelings of being blue or depressed. Try to look at each situation and learn what was amazing about what you did. Acknowledge this! It is so important to give yourself credit for what you have done, or what you have created. No one is perfect, SO cut yourself a little slack!
When I am blue I start to look at some of the things that I have done over the past few days. For example I had a couple of clients who were relieved of pain after Reiki treatments. One client is giving herself some self care by coming monthly now, to not only decrease pain, but to feel emotionally balanced as well. As she said, “It is time to look after myself as I have looked after everyone else.” Have you been able to give yourself some self care? Small things can work too e.g. a bubble bath, meditation, or yoga. When we start to recognize that we need refuelling too, and do something about this, then the depression or blues recede as you are now acknowledging yourself. Our bodies always let us know. We just have to learn to listen.
So this month when I was feeling blue, I cut back on some of my work and had some R & R time. This gave me a chance to recharge my batteries. It is O.K. to take this break. Just don’t go on a prolonged vacation where you never return to your hopes and dreams for your future.
One of the things that helped me return to my love of Reiki was my dog River who had dental surgery plus four lumps removed when she was under anaesthetics. I was able to give her Reiki to help with her pain. She had two sutures in each of the four areas. She was whimpering at first, but soon relaxed into my Reiki charged hands.
So get back into your routines. The familiar will help you get through difficult times, whether you know what is causing it or not. Whatever you are battling with right now—it will eventually pass. You may feel it will go on forever, but you know from past experiences that this too shall pass. If the blues/depression becomes prolonged or too unbearable please seek out professional help! As a Psychiatric Nurse I know you can be helped!
Also think of things that bring you joy and hold onto those thoughts. We have just purchased a 23 foot trailer and plan to go out west with it in the summer. So as much as you may not love the winter, the plans for next year will carry you through too.
Get out there on those wonderful sunny winter days as it will lift your spirits. A friend of mine out west just saw a rainbow after all the snow. Another friend had a beautiful sunset with multiple colours because of the frigid weather. There is beauty all around you, if you but look.
Here’s to looking outside of you to experience the beauty that can be yours to experience!
Happy fall! Happy winter! YEAH spring!!!
