Elevating the Holiday Blues

 
Register Now for Three Free Group Coaching Sessions

By Rev. Aliah K. MaJon, PhD

The holiday season isn't automatically a joyous time for everyone; for some people this time of year reminds them of “loss” or “lack” and can bring up sadness and pain. Instead of all the cheer and festivities leading to joy, such an atmosphere can dredge up sad memories, painful feelings, and a sense of isolation and loneliness.

It is not uncommon for some of us to be sorely missing a deceased loved one, be in the middle of relationship problems, be finding ourselves more acutely aware of our financial challenges, and be suffering from a lot more stress than usual. With idyllic portraits of the holidays all around us — with the constant portrayals of how things should be — the holiday season can make us more susceptible to the blues and create a situation where uncomfortable emotions are unavoidable.

I know this is true — the holiday season after losing my son Sean, my only child, to suicide was way more than difficult for me. Between the middle of November and the first week in January that year, I had to live through four family birthdays, three special holiday occasions, and numerous encounters with jovial people! But thanks to the things that I was forced to learn firsthand, I did come out on the other side of that time still standing…

Now I offer “Elevating the Holiday Blues” every year as a give-back to others. This year I am focusing on how allowing ourselves to “feel our feelings” is the first step to lasting healing and genuine release. Rather than avoiding the pain and seeking to alleviate our emotions by faking it, hiding out, or distracting ourselves in any manner at our disposal, I am guiding people to embrace what is going on inside them — in both heart and mind.

The opposite of running from something is “showing up” for it! It is my knowing that the best medicine is you and I NOT having to hide the truth of our sad emotions or our loneliness and numbness and lack of joy…

… so in my upcoming gift-to-you Group Coaching Sessions, we will work with our emotions in a freeing, comforting, and healing way. Truth-telling to help us achieve liberation is what we will do. And the only requirement is your willingness to go there — with me and those who understand what you’re feeling. What could be better!

You can RSVP here for the December 30 session.

Here are the dates for these 75-Minutes FREE Tele-Classes:

Sunday, December 16, 2018 @ 2:00pm Pacific
How to Give Yourself Permission to Feel Bad

Sunday, December 23, 2018 @ 2:00pm Pacific
How to Give Yourself Permission to Feel Good

Sunday, December 30, 2018 @ 2:00pm Pacific
How to Become Inspired to Create New Traditions

Be sure to RSVP here for the December 30 session.

Founder of the Next 50 Years Project, Rev. Dr. Aliah K. MaJon is a consummate professional who empowers both youth and adults to determine their own destiny and confidently step into leadership roles. She specializes in demystifying human improvement, and proudly holds a trademark for a 7-step process that outlines what it takes to turn one’s life around. A product of inner-city Detroit and a mother who lost her only child to suicide, Dr. Aliah enthusiastically teaches that self-examination and constantly updating your vision for the future must go hand-in-hand.

In the Los Angeles area, Dr. Aliah is currently a partner to the LAPD’s Community Relationship Division, and has worked extensively with Days of Dialogue, the Martin Luther King Legacy Association (Youth Leadership Academy), and designed innovative projects for Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s after-school programs in partnership with the Intel Corp. In the Bay Area, she has been a principal consultant for VCUSD’s Youth Justice Programs, trained high schools students to run Youth Court, and served as a principal for PROJECT RESTORE and the Positive Youth Justice Initiative, which was supported by the Sierra Health Foundation.

In Dr. Aliah’s work with the LAPD’s Community Relationship Division, she supports youth leaders — and adults — to create solutions for police-involved violence. Her approach is based on the “Brain Trust” model, where those who shape society engage the “thinking” and insights from experts regarding the problem — and in the case of the loss of life that is happening around policing, she feels that BOTH citizens and law enforcement are the needed experts!