Distinctly Montana Magazine

H E A L T H Y, W E L L & F I T S P E C I A L S E C T I O N 57 D O YOU FIND YOURSELF FEELING OVERWHELMED, HOPELESS, OR DREADING THE LONG DARK WINTER AHEAD? Depression can creep in this time of year and steal your joy. The pandem- ic has rocked our world and caused so much stress and anxiety. Add a life crisis, divorce, or loss of a loved one to that, and you may not want to get out of bed in the mornings. I was there and can relate. The simplest actions helped transform my life. One of the fastest ways to peace and happiness during hard times is to redirect your attention and energy. Practice these simple techniques every day to find mira- cles in the messes of life. PRACTICE ACCEPTANCE Accept the situation you find yourself in. Whatever the challenge, the sooner we stop complaining, the faster we can take the next steps forward. You cannot change the past either, so accept it. Wondering why something happened, what you could have done differently, or worrying about whether it is "fair" will do nothing but prolong the pain. Anything we focus our attention on grows, so instead of focusing on any negative situation, choose to focus on complete acceptance. It puts us in the moment of "NOW" and quiets our mind in order to hear guidance for our next steps forward. Accept other people and yourself—flaws and all. We are all perfectly imperfect. Accept that others feel, think, and act differently yet we can respectfully agree to disagree and live in harmony. We all seek acceptance from each other and are more alike than we are different. If you find yourself irritated or angry, take the time to breathe deeply and consider simply accepting. It may be easier when you apply the next technique- forgiveness. PRACTICE FORGIVENESS Forgive those who have hurt, be- trayed, or offended you. This is easier said than done, but it is possible. Holding on to the pain and anger will continue to hurt you and is a weight dragging you down. Realize that forgiveness does not mean you are approving what was done. It means you are willing to let it go to free yourself. Forgive- ness sometimes needs to be practiced over and over for the same things. Remember, you want peace more than anything, even more than being right. Every day things happen that require forgiveness, and the sooner we forgive the better. Let it become a habit. Redirect your thoughts to what the situation can to teach you and grow from it. Perhaps most importantly, forgive your- self. Realize how hard you are on yourself and reject the negative self-talk. We all have done things we regret. Grant your- self the same grace you give others and forgive. PRACTICE GRATITUDE We have heard many times to practice gratitude to find joy, but are we actually doing it? When you are suffering, grati- tude is a life saver. Find the smallest things to be grateful for and express your grat- itude. I practice naming everything I am thankful for while driving. Be thankful for your family, your friends, the color of the sky, the song on the radio, and the tires safely moving you on your journey. You can constantly practice gratitude. If it is easier, start a journal and list everything you can think of before you go to bed at night. The more you practice, the more things come SI M P LE P R ACT I C E S f o r a J O Y F U L, S T RE S S - F R E E Winter Accept that others feel, think, and act differently YET WE CAN RESPECTFULLY AGREE TO DISAGREE AND LIVE IN HARMONY. by KRISTY LeRAY

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