Pity Party

Throwing a Pity Party

Have you ever thrown yourself a pity party? I did for a little bit yesterday. My goals felt too big and the path there seemed too daunting (perhaps I should have gone back and read this post from last week). In the past, I have stayed in that place for days at a time. Everything that came my way was another thing to add to my already heavy load.  I was just waiting for that proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

This time my pity party was a little different.  I noticed it sooner for what it was and allowed myself to wallow in it.  Yes, I consciously made the decision to stay there.  Probably not what you’d expect a person who’s all about taking steps to be happy to admit, right?

Well, allowing myself to stay in my pity party did come with strings attached: I set a time limit.  Once I recognized it for what it was I gave myself ten minutes of really feeling sorry for myself and then I had to move on.

Once my ten minutes were up I wanted to feel better about myself.  That can be easier said than done.

The first thing I did was take a few deep, calming breaths.  Go ahead and do that now.  Breathe in deep through your nose and out through your mouth.  Relaxing isn’t it?

The second thing I did was think about what’s going right and what I’m thankful for.  Gratitude, it’s a great mood lifter.

So, next time you want to throw yourself a pity party, go ahead! But make sure you’re consciously making that decision.  Also, limit how long the party is and then spend some time being grateful for other things in your life.

Interested in reading more about gratitude? Check out these posts:
Being Happy – Gratitude
Day 130 in Gratitude (a guest post I did for my friend Linda)
Photo credit: Pity Party by Evil Erin via flickr