I’ve been thinking about depression lately. I feel surrounded. My friends are depressed. Heck, the entire country seems depressed. It’s rather overwhelming. Like you, I have always battled depression.
I started feeling sad for unknown reasons around the age of twelve. Over the past four decades I have put together some insight to the pattern so I can win. I’m sharing this because I want you to win, too. That way we can both put up our fists and yell, “Yay team!” when ever we see each other. Let’s do it now just for practice. “Yay team!” See, that’s awesome! I’m feeling better already. With this formula depression doesn’t stand a chance.
First, for my formula to work, we need a sense of humor. I try not to take anything so serious that it ruins my good time. Humor is the natural enemy of depression. When I’m happy and UP I have a huge amount of energy to share with others. In fact it can be contagious. It’s very powerful to be happy and psyched to be alive. C’mon, let’s do it again. Fists in the air. “Yay team!” C’mon, loud and proud. “Yay team!” Let the people around you think you’re nuts!
Depression is seductive. We wouldn’t get trapped in depression if it weren’t so seductive. If you’re depressed all the time, some part of you must like being depressed. Our depression can become a safe place where we can hide from our abuses and neglect. Depression regresses us out of having to become an adult. It’s the last shred of child inside us fighting to survive. It is an amazing shield. This is why some of us get trapped in a loop of depression.
The problem is that our brains trigger under stress and use depression to avoid expectation and responsibility until it’s ruining our life. It triggers during the good stuff too, like regular life challenges and growth. It’s as if your brain has become trapped in depression mode from being there too much. That’s the terrible life-ruining depression loop I’m talking about. You must not be seduced by it. One must meditate on how their depression benefits them, and find a better way.
You must fight the seductive nature of your depression by using the positive hopeful side of your brain against your negative depressed side of the brain. You must protect this little child inside us with all your heart – but with fun, not with depression!
Sometimes all it takes is adopting a philosophy or idea that helps you get through it, but you have to stick to it. You have to commit. Saying and doing nothing is not a choice. You must stand up and live.
Do one thing every day toward a goal. Need a goal? Listen to your heart. If you’re not sure what that means, answer me this: How do you procrastinate?
What do you do when you really should be doing something else? That’s a clue to who you are and what you really should be doing. Get involved. Take baby steps every day toward a place that feels good, and don’t be seduced by the strange comfort of depression.
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It’s better to train your brain to solve issues positively and take your life some place that feels better from the inside and out.
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Truth is, life is depressing for everyone. So much struggle and loss. We all face depression in different degrees. It is up to us to make life magical. For every day you didn’t take a baby step forward, depression added to your mountain of blockage and barrier. It gets really big and hard to climb after a while, but I know you can do it.
You just have to make the decision to break up with the wicked, evil, seductive, destructive power of depression. Stand up and bloom.
Remember you have friends. You are never as alone as you sometimes feel. We are all in this together… so don’t get weird. Your friend, Wiggly Loaf. (Yay team!)
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