📷Many people in life deal with depression when faced with many of life’s challenges like and death, marriage, divorce, raising kids, empty nest, sickness, financial issues, heartbrokenness, unsure future, no dream or vision, chronic pain and so many other circumstances.
Being depressed is horrible and debilitating, I know from personal experience.
It stops you in your tracks so you can’t see anything else but what you feel right at that moment and it blocks anything that could be better in your minds eye.
It can come on suddenly or it can be something that you have dealt with for years and have not been able to shake off.
I am NO doctor and I can’t say I have the cure for any form of depression whether clinical or situational. If you are in any form of serious depression associated with suicidal thoughts you need to reach out to professional and get immediate help.
All I can do is encourage you while I deal with this on an almost daily basis.
My story of depression/oppression comes from a place of living with a chronic invisible autoimmune disease (from the human eye) to others but my immediate family and some close friends know very well.
Here are some things that I do to remind myself that this current depression feeling will soon pass:
1. Trust GOD:
First and for most is my relationship with God. He knows me like no other and He see’s what no one else see’s. He my comforter in troubling times and the first one I run to for peace when all I feel is torment. Yes, God fearing Christians get depressed too, stop beating yourself up about it and learn the ways that work for you to rise above your feelings. I pray, I read His word, I sing, and I mediate on scriptures that remind me that I have the mind of Christ and I am loved by a God who is also my friend and confidant. I learn to mediate on who God says I am and breathe deeply.
2. Food:
I try to eat nutritionally and keep all processed foods away that will mess up my body chemistry in any way. This is a time when you don’t want to feed yourself “Comfort food” because they are usually filled with sugar, gluten, chemicals and preservatives that will mess up your body and minds defense and the immune system that you ultimately need to help balance you out. I drink and lot of water to to flush out toxins also. Take the supplements that your body is lacking to help boost recovery. I read this article that might help you choose some great food choices . http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/therese-borchard-sanity-break/foods-eat-every-day-beat-depression/
3. Exercise:
I am limited in this area due to some joint autoimmune issues I have so it makes my choices very limited. Swimming of course is the best exercise and living in South West Florida you can do that year round. I had recently moved and I longer have a pool or a community pool to use for the last 4 month I have noticed that it has effected my body and soul in a negative way for sure. at this time we do not have the finances to build a pool but are accepting donations…lol …kidding not kidding! I do walk my dog before its 100 degrees out for a short walk and I use my indoor treadmill, It temporarily boosts feel-good chemicals called endorphins. Getting enough sleep is also sometimes hard because your mind wont shut up but you need to rest as much as you need to exercise. I like listing to a motivating message of faith or some beautiful ocean sounds to help me unwind.
4. Vitamin D and sunlight.
Your body needs a little pick me up from the sun with SPF of course. Get outside even if it’s to the mall, grocery store or church, get among the living and feed off of other’s good energy.
5. A hobby
Having a hobby or being involved in a organization can redirect your mind and fill that spot of hopelessness. With me personally being a Worship leader at a church keeps me learning and occupying time that allows me to place my focus on something or someone else.
6. Choose the right people to surround you.
Deleting the half glass full, depressing, negative people from your life is crucial. Sometimes those people might be family and that makes it a bit challenging but you NEED and can set up boundaries when they, I call these people “captain obvious ” remind you of all your issues or that your just unlucky in life. I have recently been politely dealing with this sticky situation myself and informing that person that I love you but if you are not contributing to by overall well being by not speaking life or good things about me then I will either abruptly end the conversation or walk away. This is hard but your mental and physical life depends on it.
7 Laughter
Proverbs 17:22 say’s: A cheerful heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit makes one sick. I am a comedy movie lover, If I feel any type of sadness or depression trying to choke the life out of me I watch some of my all time favorite funny movies to make me laugh. Sometimes when my Hubby can tell when I am not myself he will start playing a movie that he knows I saw a million times but laugh anyway. Being an animal lover expect for snakes, sharks and alligators….He will also show me any video clips of animals ( mostly puppies) doing the cutest things, just to make me smile.
Some of my favorite movies are:
Fun with Dick and Jane
all the Vacation movies with Chevy Chase
Old SNL skits
Legally blonde
Airplane
Pink panthers with Steve Martin
8. Having goals and passion:
Finding a new passion can help you feel like you have more of a purpose in life and can give you a reason to wake up in the morning. A passion can be anything you care deeply about, even if it is not something you are good at yet. Writing a list of your goals and dreams and having a vision board will help you focus on what’s ahead of you instead of what’s trying to make you quit today. Look at what you have written out or the pictures you have cut out and posted on your vision board and start to dream and see yourself at that destination. Plan out your strategy, make the baby steps towards those accomplishments and try something you have never done just for fun.
If you act more positively, you will think more positively. Make a point of talking about the positive things in your life and spending time doing things that make you feel positive. If you spend less time whining or complaining about the small things that make you unhappy and more time praising the things that make you smile, you will think more positive thoughts.
What you think about you bring about!
I have read that any psychologist you ask will tell you that depression isn’t about a person being weak or flawed – it just happens, and it takes a lot of work to recover.
So today decide I am gonna press through these feelings by getting myself busy on the way to enjoying my life.
What are some way’s you beat feelings of depression?
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Hi I am Stacy and I love to encourage and inspire other women to be the best they can be in this life no matter what stage of life you are in from many of the things I have learned on my life journey
Be the best YOU that God made YOU to be, unapologetically!
For booking info at your next women’s, worship or speaking event contact me at stacysings@gmail.com
Always choose to live life in this day,
Stacy