By Sonia Choquette Ph.D.  As we move into the second month of 2013, I have received many emails from people saying that they are feeling blue, in a funk, lonely, isolated, depressed, and can’t seem to shake it. Maybe it’s the post end-of-the-world blues. I’m not sure, yet it seems many people expected something significant to happen in 2012 that isn’t quite happening yet, and they want to know what to do next to shake off their heavy vibes and get back in the flow.

So here are my suggestions:

If you are feeling empty, isolated, or disconnected from life in any way, then perhaps you have lost touch with your Spirit and an awareness of the many blessings and gifts God has placed before you right now. To lift out of low spirits, wonder where you might be missing the blessings raining upon you right now, and begin to notice them.

Start by counting your blessings, one-by-one, beginning with the most obvious. For example, you might count the blessing of having had a good meal today, or a warm bed to sleep in. Or perhaps you can count the blessings of having real friends, or a loving family, or the blessing of the companionship of a wonderful pet. Maybe you can count the blessing of good health, which so many of us enjoy but forget is a real blessing. Just ask those who are not experiencing that blessing right now. Maybe you can count the blessing of being able to be a good friend to someone, or the blessing of being able to help another in trouble. Blessings are not just those received, but also those we can share with others.

Count as many blessings as possible, both sharing and receiving, each day, out loud, for a while, even if you aren’t feeling particularly blessed at the moment. I have found that by counting my blessings I start feeling them and noticing more and more of them at the same time, until I feel such an abundance of blessings that it soon becomes overwhelming. Doing this always moves me out of my fear and helps me get back into the flow of life very quickly. I even wonder if the very act of counting my blessings attracts more and more my way. It seems so.

In addition to counting your blessings, another way I have found to lift my Spirit is to do something I love to do, every day. Try this and see if it works for you as well. Start by remembering what you love, naming all of those things, out loud. For example, I love my daughters, travel, good friends, drinking good coffee, listening to great music, singing, dancing, yoga, meditating, listening to my guides, taking classes, walking, being a student and learning new things, assisting others in meeting their Spirit and trusting their intuition, laughing, sitting quietly, and more. I could go on for a while but you see what I mean. Remembering and naming what you love brings you back to center, to your true Self and the path of your genuine purpose, the pathway of what brings you joy. At least it does for me.

Once you name what you love, commit to engaging in one of those things every day. Make it first on your list, a priority, and not last, something you might try to shove into your busy day after you do everything else you must do. For example, I love yoga, and start my morning with it everyday. Some mornings I am so tired that I want to shut off the alarm and continue sleeping, figuring I’ll do yoga later in the day, And yet I always get too busy and never do. On those days that I succumb to my resistance and put it off, I feel as though I’ve cheated myself out of something important to my Spirit, and I don’t like the feeling I’m left with. Because of that “yuck” feeling, I move quickly past my resistance in the morning and I am up and stretching before I give myself the time to think of a reason not to be. The few minutes of yoga I practice every morning centers me and makes me happy. And because it makes me happy it allows me to feel more love for everything else I do in a day.

Another way to lift your Spirit if you feeling a little down or confused is to ask your intuition to guide you instead of trying to figure things out all the time. If you aren’t sure what your intuition is trying to tell you, ask it for direction, and then answer out loud. For example, I might ask my intuition whether or not to accept a teaching engagement somewhere. Next I place my hand on my heart and answer my question by saying, “My Spirit says…. ” and I fill in the blank, out loud, and quickly, before my mind kicks and tries to figure the answer out. The minute I answer, I stop and breathe and pay attention to the energy flowing through my body. If the answer is indeed coming from my Spirit I instantly feel peaceful and satisfied. I trust what I expressed to be authentic guidance because it feels so grounded in truth in my body. If my mind sneaks in and tries to fake me out, I can always tell because I feel a bit dissatisfied and restless, as opposed to peaceful and satisfied. In that case, I list all the things my mind wants to say. For example, I might say, ” It’s a great opportunity to spread my work, or “It’s a wonderful place to visit, or “It’s important to go where I am asked,” or any number of other mental considerations. Once I can think of no more mental answers I then go back to my intuition and ask for guidance once again. The second time I ask, if there is one, I usually get very clear guidance immediately. This is a great tool for tuning in to your intuition at any time and it is reliable.

Another wonderful way to lift your Spirit and move into a brighter flow with life is to tune inward and ask yourself what yearns to be expressed in you that hasn’t found it’s way into your life yet. Is there any experience or expression you long to have? For example, I’ve long yearned to play piano, and yet, for one reason or another I didn’t allow it to happen up until recently. After experiencing much loss and unexpected change over the past year and a half I decided to fill in some of that loss with the piano lessons I’ve longed to take. Not surprisingly it has become one of my greatest joys. I’m playing at a very basic level, but my Spirit is thrilled to be able to play at all. In fact, playing “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” every time I sit down at the piano leaves me feeling giddy with pride and real joy to have the musical part of me finally come alive at those keys. It’s not important that I play well for now, and maybe never will be. It is simply enough to give expression to the music in me in this way that I feel completely satisfied and content.

A friend of mine, Julie, broke up with her boyfriend of 5 years and was inconsolable. After grieving for over a year she said, “This is ridiculous. Why can’t I move on?” I suggested that rather than judge her grieving process, she try expressing it though painting, something I’d heard her say she wanted to do for several years. My words must have come at just the right moment for her to hear, as she decided to do just that. She enrolled into a painting class at a local studio here in Chicago, and found it did help move her grief along. Moreover, once she was immersed in the act of being creative, she noticed that other classes of interest were offered at her painting studio as well. Soon after her painting class ended she decided to try a class in pottery and after her first day, she was hooked. She absolutely loved making pottery and is now taking her second class, and plans on taking more. Opening up and responding to her yearning to create art has lifted her spirits in such a significant way that she knew she needed to do this for herself. It has given her access to an entirely new part of herself, and is causing her to feel greatly alive all of a sudden. She said it fills a void in her that was amplified when her relationship ended. She was stuck in grief because the void felt so large, but with that first small creative step toward her unfulfilled yearning she is now well on her way to healing her grief and moving joyfully back into flow.

As you enter this new era of transformation and spiritual awakening, ask what yearns to be awakened in you. What exploration, adventure, talent, or experience is calling to you right now? Do something that might be completely out of character and say, “Yes,” to this impulse and then take the steps to act on it, without resistance.

Doing this offers allows more of your beautiful Spirit to step forward and be seen. Being happy is one of the greatest gifts we cans share and these little things will bring in a little more happiness to your life no matter what you are facing today.

I hope these tips help to uplift your heart and open you up to more of the love the Universe has for you, more of your authentic and creative Self, and more contact with your intuitive guidance.

I wish you heartfelt support and prayers for an exciting new connection with your Spirit; one that nurtures you, guides you, creates in you, and brings you more joy.

All my love,

Sonia