Five Self-Help Tools to Use if You Are Depressed

I personally know the struggle and challenge of depression. Deep depression was the catalyst that brought me to apply, study, and then practice Energy Healing when I was a young mother of 28. I had 4 small children at the time and I was in a deep, dark place. Not a good place to be when you have 4 bright-eyed, beautiful kids needing you each day.

I started looking for more natural methods of healing. I am grateful that I have successfully healed my depression. Here are 5 of the top self-help tools that helped me and I hope they help you if this is your challenge, or that you will share them with someone that you know that is challenged with depression.

1. Stop your negative thoughts. If you have a problem stopping obsessive thinking, get an eye patch and patch your right eye. Patching your right eye will shut down the left hemisphere of your brain and the negative, obsessive thinking. It is better than a glass of wine!

2. Zip-up your central meridian. Your central meridian is the energy pathway that runs from your pubic bone to your bottom lip. It can act like a radio receiver if it is not zipped up, picking up negative energies and vibes of others around you. Zip it up by imagining zipping up a zipper that runs up this pathway.

3. Go for a vigorous walk everyday. Walking will increase your endorphins, which lifts your mood. Walking also activates your energy flows to cross from left to right, right to left. A healthy crossover flow of energy lifts your mood 40-60%

4. Refer to your depression as an experience that you are having that can be healed, rather than an identity you are stuck in. Stop saying, “I am depressed or I am suffering from depression.” Your “I am’s” define your identity and keep you stuck with more of what you don’t want. A healthier way of referring to your experience of depression is to say: “I am experiencing the condition of depression, and it is healing.”

5. Believe you can get well. Your belief creates your reality. If you doubt and fear you may never get well — you may not. If you believe you can and will you call it forth in your life. Consider the possibility that one of the higher purposes of your depression was to allow you the experience of healing it to graduate you into more of your true magnificence.

Anytime we overcome life experiences that felt like they had the power to even destroy us, we claim mighty powers of our true selves and have great abilities to touch the lives of others as a result. Believe in yourself, believe in your healing, and believe you have a great contribution to make as a result.

Carol Tuttle is a teacher, speaker, gifted healer, best-selling author of six books, and pioneer in the field of personal development. For over 25 years, she has supported millions worldwide with her life-changing books and online courses. Her newest book, Mastering Affluence, guides you through six transformative lessons to create a life you love.

Who Are Food Gift Baskets Good For?

Generally speaking, food-themed gift baskets are an appropriate gift for just about any occasion and for any person on your gift-giving list. As a holiday gift, popcorn, smoked sausage, hot chocolate and coffee gift baskets are great to give as gifts to teachers or coworkers, and they also make great presents for a mystery gift exchange. Many people look forward to getting popcorn gift baskets or tins each year from beloved family members; these types of gifts quickly become nostalgic when given year after year.

Food gift baskets are a great congratulatory or celebratory gift for graduates and new parents. Many corporations give food-themed baskets to new and existing clients as appreciation gifts. Candy and fruit bouquets will brighten the spirits of a child who is feeling under the weather; they are also thoughtful gifts to give as alternatives to flower bouquets for a significant other's birthday or wedding anniversary.

The only drawback to purchasing a ready-made food gift basket is that many of them contain foods and ingredients that may pose health risks to anyone with food allergies or sensitivities. However, it is relatively easy to put together an allergy-friendly gift basket full of items that your friend, coworker or family member can safely consume and enjoy. If you are crafty, you can also put together themed gift baskets. A movie night gift basket could contain a bag of popcorn, some boxed candies, a favorite DVD, a bottle of soda and tickets to see a movie on the big screen. A cozy winter-themed basket may contain some hot chocolate with marshmallows, a fuzzy pair of socks or mittens, a small throw or pair of thermal pajamas and a couple of packets of hot soup mix.

Food is generally well received for any holiday or special occasion. Food is a source of comfort for many people, so it is often viewed as a sentimental and heartfelt gift. The way to the hearts of all of your friends and family this season is through their stomachs with food-themed gift baskets.

Avoid Meltdowns: 7 Steps to Ensure Social Success

When it comes to working with children, any parent, teacher, or therapist, will tell you that preparation is the key to success. This is especially true for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). New situations or social scenarios can provide quite a challenge. Unfamiliar sensory input, anxiety, and communication deficits can often lead to meltdowns. But what if we could avoid the undesirable behaviors for all kids with some simple preparation beforehand?

For many years, social stories have been used to help children prepare for new and challenging situations. These tools are stories written by parents or professionals to explain a social scenario or communication skill. Speech-language pathologists and hosts of Speechie Side Up podcast, Kimberly Tice, M.S. CCC-SLP and Venita Litvack, M.A. CCC-SLP created their Lou Knows What to Do social series because they found themselves constantly writing personalized social stories for their students. Why? Because they worked!

Avoid Meltdowns: 7 Steps to Ensure Social Success

1. Set the scene: Describe the setting in as much detail as possible. Providing sensory information can help! For example, warn your child that the Thanksgiving family party may be noisy and have strong smelling food.

2. Utilize visuals: Utilize visuals whenever possible: This may not always be doable. But in the age of smartphones and iPads, a quick google image search can sometimes clear up confusion!

3. Construct positive statements: No one enjoys long lectures filled with rules! For example, “no running,” “no hitting,” “don’t yell.” Kiddos may be more receptive to positive statements that tell them what they should do instead (i.e. remember to walk).

4. Check for comprehension: Be sure to ask questions before, during, and after your conversation to assess your child’s understanding of the topic.

5. Explain social customs: People with ASD often do not see the value in certain social customs such as saying “Happy Birthday!” Explaining these rituals can clear up any confusion.

6. Suggest specific behaviors: Don’t assume your child knows what to do! Especially in a place where they have never been. Be clear about what you expect from them.

7. Summarize the most important points: Repeating the pertinent information can help your child retain it!