Conquering Depression

 

Find small ways to be of service to others: Find personal meaning by serving something larger than yourself. Remember service doesn’t have to be big to count. Consider this, “Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue,  as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.”

Find workable goals that give you a sense of accomplishment: Most people feel guilty when talking about goals because they set unreasonable or unworkable goals. A goal is workable if it’s:

Something you can control (i.e., it doesn’t depend on others)

Manageable (i.e., not overwhelming)

Realistic for you (not for someone else)

Measurable (i.e., you know whether or not it is done or getting done)

If something goes wrong with your goal, adopt a “what can I learn from this?” attitude rather than a judgmental one , “this is why I’m horrible” attitude. Also, be careful when comparing your progress with others. We usually compare our biggest weakness with another person’s biggest strength. This is unfair.

Schedule pleasant activities or events: Don’t wait for yourself to be “in the mood.” For example, give yourself permission for a 30-minute “vacation” or schedule a healthy hobby every day. Just remember to do these activities with the right attitude.  Also, practice gratitude — take time to notice what went well today, not just what went wrong.  Consider keeping a gratitude journal.  Know that being grateful for your blessings doesn’t mean you have to discount your problems.

Stay in the present: This practice is sometimes called mindfulness. As best you can, during activities try not to be in your head with self-judgment. You may not be able to turn off the self-judgment, but you can notice it and bring yourself gently back to the present.  Research shows that people with higher self-compassion also have higher self-worth or self-confidence. 

Exercise and eat :Doing moderate exercise about five times a week (30 minutes a pop) can dramatically help your mood.  Moderate exercise is a level of activity where it is difficult to sing from your diaphragm while doing it.  Also pay attention to how the type of food or drink you’re eating influences your mood.  You don’t have to do fad diets, but anyone will be depressed if they frequently binge on carbs, junk food, and energy drinks. Remember the virtue of moderation.

Focus on people who lift you up: Interact frequently with others that bring you up (not people that bring you down). While it’s OK to have some alone time, find a balance and don’t isolate yourself or the depression will linger. 

Try to keep a regular sleep schedule:Keep a balance with not too little and not too much sleep. Staying up late one night and then sleeping in excessively the next day is a sure-fire way to feed depression.  Also, don’t try to solve problems late at night when your brain is half-asleep.

By practicing these skills, know that you’re on the path to overcome depression.