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When people don’t have anything to say, they generally bring up the weather. Well, guess what? I’d like to take a quick moment to discuss the grey skies and plummeting temperatures that plague me for about three months. I know winter is a necessary evil, but it would be nice if it came with a fast-forward button. I suffer from major depression. (Yeah, I know, who doesn’t?) I have good days … a lot of bad days … and good days, again.
When you’re already struggling and there’s not a drop of sunshine in sight, it is extremely easy to fall into a trap of self-doubt and negativity. I constantly have a nagging suspicion that everyone I know is judging me. Of course I internalize this feeling and soon find myself caught up in an endless cycle that starts and finishes with “Woe is ME.”
A few weeks ago, my friend Jaime expressed similar sentiments and decided to start a running blog hop at James & Jax. I thought it was a great idea even though I’ve been putting it off. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I was capable of being my own cheerleader. However, she’s only asking her readers for one thing: to accentuate the positive. That’s it—no frills, no long-winded gimmicky plea. So, at least for a few minutes, I’m not going to allow a bad moment to mar an otherwise perfectly good day. Per Jaime’s suggestion, here is my list of what I’m doing right this week.
- First and foremost, I pulled myself out of bed. You might be thinking, “So what?” Well, if you have ever suffered from major depression, then I don’t need to explain!
- I ate lunch today. I have a bad habit of skipping lunch, but I grabbed a piece of pizza. It may not be a plate of vegetables, but baby steps.
- I checked in on some people who are going through a rough time and/or tried to offer words of comfort if they contacted me first.
- I took the day off on Friday and cleaned out my now-former car (a hot mess), scrubbed the bathroom (a second hot mess) and did another task that I had been putting off for weeks.
- I wrote this post. I hate writing. No, that sentence wasn’t mistakenly changed by spellcheck or anything.
Head over to James & Jax and link up (if you have a blog). Or feel free to leave a comment. Whether it’s just for today or for the past week, tell me, what are you doing RIGHT?
You are doing a ton right…. you are being you and staying true to yourself and your feelings!
Xoxo
You are too kind…thank you so much! I could say the same about you! xoxo
All 5 of those things are crucial to recovering from depression or just feeling better, even if temporarily: getting out of bed (this one’s HUGE, so way to go!), eating (or rather, not skipping meals), socializing/maintaining relationships, keeping active (yes, cleaning is a physical activity!), and being creative. This is a great list! I’m proud of you. And so happy you linked up–thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement! Also, thanks for coming up with this idea and motivating me to write a post (and a positive one, too)! You’ve been a huge help with my blogging efforts, and I appreciate it. Always enjoy reading your blog and I’m very excited about the success you are having with it!
Looks to me like you did a lot! And continue to.
I so know what you mean about the weather. I shove through the darker months as best I can. It’s an effort on many days, but we keep pushing along.
And definitely eat lunch! It will continue to give you the energy you need to get through the day. Think of food as fuel and use it to remind you.
Great list! Popped by from the linky and need to get my own post going soon!
Thank you! Like many, I can be my own worst critic, so even if the list seems “meh” to me, it’s so nice to receive encouragement from others. This winter (compounded with other factors) is quite the challenge. You’re right, gotta keep pushing along. I will definitely grab some lunch today (starting to feel hungry).
Good luck with your post (and with this lousy weather)—I’m sure it will be a great list!
Great job! I know how hard it can be to get out of bed some days.
Thanks so much! It can be incredibly hard and I’m so sorry to hear that you can relate. I wish nobody had to feel that way, but on the flip side, there is strength in numbers. I hope your good days outweigh the bad moments!
getting out of bed and feeding yourself are the two things that were hardest for me during my depression. that you got some cleaning on top? wow.
hugs. many.
Let’s just say the cleaning was “way overdue.”
I hear you…getting out of bed and making myself look presentable seem impossible a lot of days. I do manage to get myself out of bed (albeit late), but the whole looking-like-a-normal-person-thing doesn’t happen too much (unless it’s Saturday). Thank you for the hugs…sending you some as well! If you ever feel like you’re struggling, remember that you’re not alone.
Wow, I’m super impressed with how much you accomplished! I’ve suffered from major depression, and like you said, getting out of bed was hard enough. Rock on!
Thank you so much! While I often feel alone in this struggle, I know that I’m not and it is comforting to know that others can relate (even though I wish none of us had to deal with this on a regular basis). If you (or anyone struggling) have any tips, feel free to email them to me at leesytude@gmail.com.
Awesome that you were able to push yourself out of bed! (Those seemingly small things can really get you sometimes!)
Hi – It sounds to me like you;ve done a lot of work this week and you are managing like a champ! Congratulations! Join us all!
Thanks so much for your kind words! I’m trying, but I’m admittedly feeling overwhelmed this week. I hope to change that soon!
Great list & I love this link up. I think it is so important to try to focus on the positive when so many of us (including me!) automatically focus on the negative.
I get that same feeling that people are judging me (I can completely relate to that) not fun right?!
Eating lunch is huge! I always get anxious etc if I skip meals! And I think taking the day off to get stuff done that you want/need to do is such a great idea & you were taking care of you!
Thank you! You’re so right, although admittedly I really struggle with that (in fact, it’s really hard to stay positive this week). Definitely not a fun feeling, and I wish you didn’t have to experience that. However, it’s comforting to know that other people can relate and I’m not alone in this. I appreciate you reaching out!