NO RAINBOW, WITHOUT A LITTLE RAIN

Woke up with a heavy heart today and I realize that there are times in my life when I need to reassess myself... slowing down and readjusting my life's trajectory. Lately, I have been encountering burnouts that people can't see or don't notice in me. I have had several road bumps lately that caused me prolonged stress and I battle it every day. 

Over the past years I have blogged about burnouts especially in my case that I am one human being that's 24/7 online owing to my profession. I have written about life management difficulty especially when there are things in our lives can turn our worlds upside down leaving us totally worn out and helpless, physically and mentally. Everything just seems look bleak and it is hard for us to gather all energy to care or let alone, do something to get out of it. Way back 2010, I confessed about experiencing burnout as an SEO... caused my world and my life to tilt fast. It is a vicious cycle. Yes, in my profession and most of us in the internet and social media, we struggle on this everyday after all, social media never really sleeps and that's what most people don't know about us..

It is just difficult to handle such a thing with technology interfering personal lives, personal activities and especially when one would get a punctured heart may it be owing to jealousy, an unfulfilled promise to loved one, not having the time for any intimacy, and so many more that a human heart experiences. This renders us to have this lack of emotion or apathy... the emotion is there though...all bottled up and waiting to burst. It's just dangerously nerve-wracking.

Here I go again, struggling to cope and overcome burnout. I know exactly what I need to do. I've been there before so I just have to hang in tough and continue to do what I need to do. Focus may be difficult but all I need is to slow down, pause, relax and re-evaluate my goals and priorities once more.

I am a toughie. I've always been. I can do this over and over again...it may take days, weeks, months to fully overcome. When a damn usually bursts, all I have to do is swim... no but's and if's. At the end of this all, I'm gonna smile again... a smile that takes only a special few to know that deep inside, I am okay and back on my feet. Nothing in life is not manageable and as as wise men used to say, "There is no rainbow, without a little rain".

CHRISTMAS STRESS & HOLIDAY BLUES

Good and bad stress usually takes its' toll on us humans especially during Christmas Season. I've had good Christmases in the past but this year, even if it's A-okay for me, I can't help but think globally... I think of people all over the world... how Christmas 2010 will be for them. I believe for most, December 2010 is full of stress and depression.

I made a survey on a couple of friends from off-shore and in the Philippines as to what would be the usual and most common causes why we get Christmas blues, depressions and / or stress.  Hereunder are what I perceived based on my little survey as well as my own experience in the following order (top to bottom):

1.  Economic / Financial Difficulties
This is number 1. With the global economic crisis hitting major countries world-wide, millions of families face financial problems this season of love and giving. Christmas adds an extra burden to tight budgets which means, there's not enough money to buy food for the festive season, presents and clothes for Christmas. People around the world actually tend to use more money than we can afford which worsens our financial situations even more. This leads us to gain more weight, headaches, depressions and financial overdrafts after the season is over.
 
2. The Absence of a Loved One
Despite of the merry-making with family and friends, we can't help thinking of some beloved persons in our lives who are far away which brings us loneliness and depression. Even when we see everyone else having a good time, we just couldn't help but feel the pang of yearning, missing them thus; this situation can get worse. 

3. Physical Fatigue
We usually get intense stress everywhere that we tend to feel there are so many things to do in such a period of time. Even though we try to make activities pleasant and enjoyable for others, various situations can take its' toll on our bodies i.e., Christmas rush, traffic, shopping amongst millions, the inability to find the apt gifts for loved ones, presence in social parties and other obligations. 


All top 3 reasons bring emotional disorder to each and everyone of us. I, for one, am starting to feel it and so I believe that it is very important to acknowledge these reasons why people tend to be stressed out and depressed during the holidays because all it takes for each individual to survive Christmas stress is love and understanding. 

Emotional support... patience, love and understanding from our families and loved-ones can help fight depression and stress during the holidays.

Life and things in life are not  perfect... it is not as beautiful as seen on TV and movies. We shouldn't expect too much from it. Life is simply unpredictable that the only way to make us happy is focus on things that are most important to us and live each day thinking positive for a better future. Breaking free from the past.... preparing for better years to come is all that I'm going to think of this holiday season 2010.


May I remind everyone that in the past, we made Christmas too materialized.... it's not about the money... it's all about the time and thoughts spent with family, friends and loved-ones that matters most to them. Cheers! 

I'd like to say advance Merry Christmas to all my readers just in case I forget to do so later on! :)