Feeling sad and uninspired......Help!

May 6, 2009

It's May at last!  The seasonal warmth and rains are upon us and life is good. The statement,"Go Green" is really what's happening all around us with the leaves newly on the trees and green shoots bubbling up all around us....it does lift one's spirit as we drink in the new green...to work in the garden once more...planting flowers, herbs, and veggies...and trips to the farmers market...the popping flavors of fresh local produce...these experiences ought to help bring new inspiration to the palate and to the psyche....so why am I feeling so  sad and uninspired ?

Personally what trips me up is when I'm feeling this way....I almost hate to admit it....even though the newness of Spring abounds outside..... inside I feel like it's still winter and my bud is resistent to opening up...I guess I must be in a rut because everything feels like the same old same old...the same old breakfast...the same old snack...the same old exercise...the same old music...the same old me...my mind starts to wander to the same old negative thought patterns and  into deeper darker places and then I feel depressed...I revert to old habits and give into old cravings...I rebel inside and worry and doubt start to take root and I feel totally out of sync with my dreams and visions...then after feeling sorry for myself for awhile ...I wake up and realize what happened and I allow the good to flow back in  then my mood changes once again...I make plans to pamper myself.....get some new music.....a new book to read....get on the phone and make plans with girlfriends....I try to get in touch with ways that I can feed my soul and follow my bliss...when I attend to myself this way it doesn't matter if the sun is shining outside because it's sunny inside and that's what makes my vision clear again.

Does any of this sound familiar?  Sometimes when you are in a clear and focused mood take a moment to write down some of the things that nourish you.  Make a list of hobbies, favorite songs, poetry, activities that you love. Then make a list of girlfriends.  Make a list of favorite meals and foods.  When you are in a funk you may be in so deep that you can't even remember the things that feed your soul.

Last week I made myself a cup of tea in my treasured teacup from my grandmother's set and that tea never tasted so good! Make sure also that you take time for beauty  so even if all around you is a mess you have at least one place of beauty.  How about keeping flowers on the kitchen table and a pretty candle so every time you eat it becomes a really special affair? 

If I'm feeling bored with food that means it's time to change things up...eating hummus alot? How about trying a new recipe? or adding some new ingredients to your usual recipe like tons of parsley or some roasted red pepper? My favorite way to eat it is to drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle it with paprika. Below is our standard hummus recipe that we've been making for years, it comes out of Nikki & David Goldbeck's American Wholefoods Cuisine.

                                                                     

Hummus

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup bean liquid

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 tsp seasalt

3 T tahini

2 T parsley

2 T olive oil

1 tsp paprika

Puree everything in a food processor or blender. Place in a shallow bowl, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle paprika over the top.   Enjoy!

Another really quickie recipe and a very easy way to cook potatoes....first of all I know I usually say to eat yukon golds but the tiny baby new potatoes were hard to resist so I washed them, dried them, then put them in a baking pan, drizzled olive oil and sprinkled coarse sea salt and fresh rosemary and baked them at 375 for 40 minutes.....yuuuummmmm!!!!!

 

So in thumbing through the cards on my desk this one seemed to say it all about my 

troubled and depressed state of mind and already  I am starting to feel better.......

I take it 

one day at a time,

but sometimes 

several of them 

attack me at once.

    Until my next post,     

I wish you my best,

Lisa