No matter how blessed we are in life, its easy to get bogged down in the mire. But focusing on everything that goes wrong can turn even the sunniest person into a downpour. That's why counsellors and therapists so often recommend clients dealing with depression start a gratitude practice. Individuals with depression have a tendency to only see the negative and discount the positives.
I like to use the "At least..." strategy to avoid falling into that trap. If something goes wrong or a negative event occurs, I always try to look on the bright side.
Like yesterday:
Little A melted down when I dropped her off but...at least she was well enough to go back to school.
It was ass-freezing but...at least it was bright and sunny.
My office was ridiculously overheated so I turned purple and sweat through my sessions with my clients but...at least it made me more eager to go back out into the cold.
There was a super duper annoying subway delay but...at least they didn't make us leave the train and catch another ride.
The bus was crowded but...at least I found the courage to ask the dude taking up a seat with his duffle bag to move it.
See? Yesterday was a great day!
Of course, I know this is a much more difficult thing to do when you are dealing with a really serious problem or life crisis, but that's why when its just regular life stuff, you need to keep it in perspective. The day-to-day hassles can also feel overwhelming if we are tired, sick, dealing with chronic pain, a shit-head boss, fighting with our spouse, etc.
I had a client tell me recently that all the wealthy, educated professionals she works with, herself included, are on antidepressants. These folks, of course, may very well have a history of trauma or a genetic predisposition to depression, but its worth noting that having money and a prestigious does not = happiness. The world needs more kind people, not more rich and successful people, and we need to reconnect as a society through true intimacy not texts. Just sayin'...
Have a delightful weekend and go hug someone you love.
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