Infinity Health & Wellness Magazine December / January 2017 | Page 4

6 Strategies to Beat Holiday Depression by Brian Eastman “I always feel depressed during the holiday season,” said my new client. “I don’t know what is wrong with me.” I explained the true facts to her. According to one study, 45% of Christian Americans experience depression during the lead-up to Christmas. And why might that be? Let’s begin with the definition of depression provided by Transactional Analysis leader Claude Steiner in his book Scripts People Live. “Scarcity of essential life support causes depression. People need food, shelter, space, safety, drinkable water, breatheable air and human contact. . . Hungry, crowded, scared and alienated people are sad and unhappy . . . no matter what else is going on.” If the depression cycles directly around the December time period, I usually find that a client’s sad and unhappy feelings arise from issues of human contact and of emotional safety. I also see one event-specific cause: continuing emotional burdens which a client is carrying from past painful holiday events. Whatever the cause, if you expect a sad and unhappy time every November and Decemember, here are some simple strategies which can help you to change your experience and expectations. 1. Release past painful memories. Contact a practitioner of healing programs such as LIIFT, Pranic Psychotherapy or Neuro-Modulation Technique (NMT) to assist you to quickly process and release previous emotional pain associated with the holidays. 2. Create your own community with whom to share holidays. In Cincinnati, Vegans have holiday celebrations with non-meat potlucks. My wife and I host potlucks for each holiday so friends and community members can feel welcomed and appreciated, even if they lack quality family relationships. 4 3. Create new positive memories. First you decide that you will replace the old painful with new positive. Then you create opportunities to do so. In addition to creating or participating in events such as mentioned above, you could volunteer to bring happiness to others and share the pleasure. Examples: On Thanksgiving and Christmas, one lady volunteers with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, bringing meals and companionship to the homebound. Another friend volunteers at a hospital to bring extra love to the hurting, scared and alone. A third takes children from difficult family situations out to a child-friendly event or even a kiddie park for an afternoon, so they get extra nurturing attention. 4. Befriend some animals at a shelter. An appreciative pooch or a purring cat can really lift one’s mood. 5. Take a hike, preferably with others. Exercise and nature-anchoring improves moods. And to share it with others adds another positive dimension. 6. Concentrate on gratitude. If you often think about what you don’t have or what should have happened, you create a negative-emotion loop. You must use your intentionality to cut the loop. Be grateful for the good you are experiencing. Enjoy the “ positive now”, and begin anchoring these happy experiences by writing a journal. The LIIFT healing process actually uses the process of write/see/say to help people permanetize new good memories and thoughts into their being. You don’t have to do everything mentioned here all at once. If you do one thing now and add another thing next year, you will discover that each year you feel better. I did, and I do. Best Wishes to you on your happiness journey! About the Author: Creator of the LIIFT healing, Brian Eastman sees people in person, via Skype and in group/ family sessions in Ohio and Indiana He is also leads LIIFT training seminars and LIIFT Prosperity Workshops. Contact Brian at 513.541.1257 or [email protected] Dec / Jan 2017