I an starting a series of blogs on the topic of depression. To kick it off, before getting into the core of it, here is a few points to get started on:
1) STOP hanging out with negative people, people who likes to gossip and those “gems” who loves to point out your weaknesses. They are not bad people, just lacking in insight. We can all be a bit guilty of this, from time to time, but cut it out! Everyone loves a good demolition job, like taking a sledgehammer to a wall, but building something is way more satisfying.
2) START taking your vitamins and supplements. You would be amazed if you knew how much various vitamin deficiencies can affect your mood.
3) BE GRATEFUL every day. Yea, yea, I know this sounds like new-age woo woo. In reality, it’s about the smartest thing you can do. See, the subconscious mind (which is in control 95% of the time) works for you. Wouldn’t you rather train it to look for good in the world and have the ripple-effect of joy and possibilities programmed in your mind, instead of that piss n vinegar cocktail you have been serving it?
4) STOP marinating in depressive thoughts. Boy, this one is tough, but it’s doable with practice. The second a negative thought comes up, it MUST be crushed like a bug. This can be done with visualization techniques. Also its important to find a go-to thing, like a favorite passage from a book, or watching funny clips on You Tube or get moving.
5) UNFRIEND or hide about 85% of your Facebook friends. Yikes, Facebook used to bring me down. Ignorant political comments, the something-is-always-wrong people, the’ look I drank coffee today’ posts and of course the ‘look what a great life I have posts’. Be selective of what you let in.
6) EXERCISE! Double yikes. Again, we are going for a ripple-effect. Good news is: No matter what pathetic level you are on, you will reap all the same benefits of improved health as big boy athletes do. Increase in all the yummy neuro chemicals needed for happiness, a sense of accomplishment, a better physique and so on. Your effect of it may not be a ripple, at first, it may only be a trickle, but it still counts.
7) STOP watching the news. Unless you are a very important political figure, there is no need to follow along. “Yea, but I don’t want to be ignorant”! Please, you skipping a few months of rape, tortured animals, landslides and genocide, wont make you ignorant.
8) GET SILLY (and please only do this inside your head). Again, we are going for re-wiring your brain and sculpting your mind. Any time you do any action, make a ridiculous statement (remember, only in your mind, otherwise they will come take you away). For example: WOW, I peeled those potatoes like a BOSS! Man, I am a great driver, took that corner like a pro! Best signature yet! And so on. Don’t worry, you won’t get an inflated ego, you are just getting yourself used to saying nice things to yourself.
9) PUSH BACK on thoughts. If you think: “I’m just to tired to….”. Then turn the tables, ask yourself: “If I wasn’t tired, what would I do”? Basically getting in the habit of making your brain seek solutions, instead of backing up self-sabotaging thoughts of defeat.
10) STOP wishing for things to be fair. Gosh, I waited for some sort of cosmic justice for years. It was a humbling but empowering day, once I realized that I alone held the key to get out. Yes, I needed help, I needed counseling; but I had to do it. Like late great JIM ROHN said: “You can’t hire people to do your push-ups”!
Digging out of depression is a hard and sometimes long road. You have to make your sanity FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS every day.
Stay tuned for next blog here or visit my Facebook page Mette Siddall. (#shameless selfpromotion)
This is such a helpful and insightful post on depression. Really, really good. I recently hid certain facebook friends posts from showing up in my timeline. We are still friends and they don’t know I did it, but their content was getting me down. It really does work wonders. I enjoy Facebook again and I can enjoy those friends in person or on the phone and not have to suffer through their posts. Thanks for this great post!
Thank you Leah. I deleted all friends, with exception of family and friends who lives overseas. When I did it, i was hoping it would give me some relief, but never imagined how freeing it would be. Now, I am a delete-junkie…..apps, pantries, closets…..
Like Antoine DeSaint-Exupery said: Perfection is not when there is no more to add but no more to take away.
Love this!!! Can I add bullet Journaling????? Its been SUCH a help. I also can track when I am feeling depressed. Not to mention all my lists,scheduling,todos, and planning all goes into it. I love it! I have been really trying to work on exercising daily, so I made a tracker in my bullet journal. I take it with me everywhere, and I write down what I am great full for everyday. Some days I forget, but I always make it a point to catch up!
As for blocking out the negative thoughts…lol that is a hard one, THE STRUGGLE IS REAL.
thanks girl. Never heard the expression ‘bullet journalling’, sounds great. One of my next pieces are going to be on the subject of techniques to block those pesky unwanted thoughts. Hope it will help you.