A pictureless update and thoughts on a handout….

At the biggest losers weigh in this week, I was only down two tenths of a pound. Where I’m grateful that the direction was down—I can’t be all that surprised. We ate out at Carrabbas in Utah county over the weekend and the restaurant happiness just flowed. Good bread and grilled chicken three different ways. My favorite was the one stuffed with goat cheese….mmm. Thanks Holli and Phil, it was delicious.

I started reading The Indian in the Cupboard to the older kids this week and we’re all enthralled. Ben built a fort out of Lincoln Logs for Little Bear.

At book club this week we discussed Pride and Prejudice. We talked about it’s timeless themes: initial judgments, embarrassing mothers, and of course when rich men move into the neighborhood and fall in love with you. Timeless. Ladies, my month is always complete when you’re a part of it.

Last weekend I attended a women's conference hosted by the Stake Relief Society. One class I really liked was: Dealing with Stress and Depression. May I share Brother R’s suggestions, from his clearly manly (goldenrod colored paper, bullets, regular font, quartered with paper cutter hangnails) handout? These evoked a silent amen and a motionless head nod, or two, from me.

1. Begin to notice your danger signs.
2. Break the downward spiral. Start doing things you used to enjoy.
3. Don’t do the same thing and expect a different result. (Perhaps my favorite suggestion. I’m still shocked with these results: creeping weight when I’m sleeping in and chowing, listlessness when I make little effort with the house or kids, no spirit when I skip prayers and scriptures)
4. Take time to Decompress (I’ve never had a problem with this)
5. Learn to love yourself by seeing yourself though Heavenly Father’s eyes.
6. Roll up your sleeves and work
7. Serve Others
8. Examine and combat your “Cognitive Distortions”. (combating mental chatter)
9. You are never totally alone. Jesus Christ is uniquely qualified to understand (Alma 7:11).
10. Live after the Manner of Happiness (2 Nephi 5)
11. Journal: Use the “Filter of Time.” (I’ve used time before, I’ve even coveted it)

His message was all about exerting effort and taking responsibility for our own happiness. I loved the frank and no fluff manner in which he spoke. I battled a funk last year around the end of March and it lasted until the end of May. It wasn’t too serious, I just remember distinct feelings of how hard and hopeless everything was. Everything… It got better and pretty much left when I started training for the Echo Triathlon (see #2). Some mornings, even now, when I wake up I’ll search for that specific feeling I felt last spring and it’s not there—Hal-le-lu-jah. But I’m concerned it could happen again so I’m keeping good old goldie close just to be sure. And even blogging about it so when I loose the handout, and I will, the info will be here.

Have you battled a funk? What number works best for you?