I 
am thinking about the fact that October is usually the start of the SAD season, Seasonal Affective Disorder, but the summer has gone on and on knocking any sign of autumnal blues out of the window. This is all good of course, but sooner or later it will probably creep in through a crack in the door when I am least expecting it.
A couple of years ago I started working out ways of keeping myself going when my own positive moods can sink without trace. All based on NLP if you want to be technical. Naturally being a compulsive blogger I started a SAD site and a page on this one. (see header)
Today the idea is to look at the suggestions and to let them seep into your subconscious, add your own images and let them feed the creative side of the brain on and off for a whole week.
So to me the passion flower is one of the most beautiful things in the world. The shapes are incredible, the colours, the different textures. You will need to look at it for, say, three or four minutes tracing the shape in your mind’s eye. Try the other images one by one, to see which one comes out the best
Now close your eyes and think about what for you is the most beautiful thing in the world. Open your eyes write ‘beautiful things’ on a blank sheet of paper, draw an oblong around it. Draw straight lines coming out of your oblong, about 12 will do to start with. Now write down everything that comes to mind without thinking or pausing until you have run out of ideas.
This may even lead to writing a journal which will take you on a journey through and out of the state of SAD. This post is mainly for visual people. There are others and different ideas for those who are more likely to be inspired by music, words or touch at a later date.
However there is nothing as good as short walk whatever the light levels. Any day light feeds the serotonin levels in the brain.
Good luck! A whole season of ideas for managing SAD are on the SAD page that has a link on the header and there is SAD blog with the programme on it in bite size chunks.
Ann Perrin 