(Photo by Jess Sanchez)

A Little Pick Me Up

By Kailyn

What’s up Marked Ministry tweens! It’s Kailyn here to give you the latest article. But first, some news. The Marked Ministry Tween Committee has decided that for safety reasons, we will not be doing any more videos for this section as of now. I KNOW. Super disappointing, but it kinda got me thinking about sadness, which is this month’s topic. What a coincidence…

So, one example of my sadness was last year. My 7th grade class was going to go on a field trip to Catalina island to spend 3 days there. The morning that I was to leave, I went to take my dog outside, but he wouldn’t leave his bed. I picked him up and set him down outside. He wouldn’t move, so I nudged him a little and he took a few steps. But they were more like hobbles. I could tell he had a limp to his back leg. At that moment, I was devastated. The day that I was going to leave, my dog needed me. I couldn’t do anything about it, so I went on my trip, reluctant to leave my poor dog, even though I knew my family would take good care of him.

Part two of my sadness was that we were supposed to take a boat to Catalina, but it was a super windy that day and there were 20 ft waves. Our boat captain said it was too dangerous to leave, so our trip was canceled. I like to think that God had planned this all to happen to keep us from sinking and that I got to be with my dog as his leg healed. It is how I cope with my sadness.

I wasn’t a very optimistic person, but now, when I’m sad, I try to look at the bright side or the good that may come out of the bad. Things like a nice sunset or some time with people you love can be a bright spot in your day. Acknowledging the positive can make you feel hopeful. If I am in the midst of my sadness and it seems like there isn’t anything good going on, I keep an eye out in the word of God, searching for that ever so quiet glimmer of hope. My light in the darkness.

The thing is, everyone deals with sorrow in their own way, but if the blues seem to never end, here are some things that I’d do to help me feel better.

• Grab my bible and search for a keyword that might have something to do with what I’m feeling and read verses on it.
• Take a walk or go on a nice jog. It’s hard to feel bad when you are staying active. Reflect on your thoughts or invite a friend to run with you too.
• Laugh with someone, joke around or talk with a friend. When you feel good, good times thrive. Turning on a funny show can help you take your mind off things and help you feel relaxed.
• Talk about your feelings with a trusted friend, a family member, a therapist, or the youth pastor of your church. It’s always nice to get someone’s advice and see their perspective of the problem. Getting things off my chest always makes me feel lighter and freer.
• Get some rest. After a good nap, you’ll feel like a million bucks.
• Write down five things you are grateful for. It is bound to improve your mood. You can always look back at your list and edit it at any time.
• Get off social media!!! Scientists found out that social media is linked to depression, anxiety, poor sleep quality, and low self-esteem – mostly found in tweens, teens and adolescents. Plus, comparing our lives to other people’s so called “lives” on social media is mentally unhealthy.
• Take a break and just shut it all down for a day or two, maybe three.
• My common go-to thing is to surround myself with God-fearing people. People I trust that are God’s people. My family, my really good friends, and some of my neighbors can really cheer me up.