Yes, my Middle Name is Joy & I Mired in Depression... 11 Ways I Fight It.
These are my Top 11 Weapons That Work Against Depression:
Depression.
Ugh. That nasty gross, "I just want to stay in this bed until life is over."
A death sentence anyone? That's what it feels like doesn't it? At least for me.
It's like we get pulled down into this rut and all we can see is the rut. We see the rut walls, the top of the rut, the floor of the rut. Some times we start trying to climb out of the rut, but that's so exhausting that we slip and fall back into the rut, only harder, cause we hit the ground with such force.
It can also feel like you are muted. Like these photos sprinkled through this blog, (done by the FABULOUS Muskrat Mamma Photography..) I felt like depression for me was being muted, not as vibrant as I knew I was meant to be. I was in darkness. I know that for me, self hatred was directly tied to my depression. I hated who I was for quite a few years. Hated my hair, my body, believed lies that I was fat, ugly, compared myself and literally slicked back my hair with that sport hard shell hair gel until my hair was crusty and tightly wound in a bun. I was MIRED in depression. And it tries to come back every once in a while!
Depression sucks and it is a big challenge to pull yourself out of. I have struggled with it for more than a few years. It's hard. It is super tough to deal with. One of my biggest breakthough moments out of depression happened when I had been watching my friend's Instagram account and was inspired by her daily fitness accountability posts. I just kind of WOKE UP one day, I felt like I snapped out of the hole I was in, catapulted by a massive action decision to start a workout program, a crazy one called Insanity. It was kind of like in the Dark Knight Rises, when Christian Bale, playing Batman, took the ridiculously scary massive jump attempt to free himself out of the dark pit prison. For me, that jump was Insanity, and how exercise has totally transformed how I deal with depression! Beyond that, I have found a lot of tools that have ridiculously helped catapult me out of the darkness of depression and self hatred. That's what this article is about,paying forward some of the tools that I have used and use daily to not only keep me out of depression long term, but get me out of the temporary "funks", "down days" and "depressed moments" So if any of that resonates with you, then read on... I hope that the following weapons can be brandished by you to fight momentary or lingering depression
Use these weapons often! Monthly, weekly and daily!!! Here are My 10 Weapons That Work Against Depression:
1) Dance yo ass off. Dancing has helped me so exponentially much. What I do is turn on one of my favorite songs and I just shake my body, move to the music. ESPECIALLY when I don't feel like it. Motion, they say, creates major EMOTION. So, when you don't FEEL like it (like when you're depressed) DO IT.
2) BELT IT OUT. Like sing! I don't care if you don't think you're a "good" singer. Pick a couple of really awesome and uplifting songs that you love and turn it on! Maybe that will even be a little foreplay into Weapon Number 1!
3) Prayer. I love Jesus and I love talking with him. For me, that is prayer. Talking with him is something that I love to do because I am working on building a strong relationship with him. I believe that God created the universe and made me to have a close relationship with him and when I am in depression, God can give me the best perspectives, truths and whispers of empathetic love that change my attitude tremendously.
4) Meditation. Okay okay, you're probably rolling your eyes "Cause are you freaking kidding I can't 'empty my mind' for 1 minute let alone 5 or 15!"
I'm not talking about that kind of meditation, at least not primarily. I mean to MEDITATE on specific things. I practice meditating on what I am grateful for, my intentions for the day, my dreams, passions, and God's truths! I use guided meditations from YouTube that I love and one in particular here (
5) GOOD foods. Yes, this is a shameless plug for healthy, fueling eating! No, not the "foods that taste good to me". WHOLE nutritious and life giving foods.Heavily processed, sugary, chemically "dead" foods are NOT going to fuel you and duh, your MIND!!! So many of my clients and fitness bootcampers tell me that "It's amazing how I have so much more energy and my mind is unfoggy!" After they start eating better!
6) Drinking...
Water, duh. In the book "You're Not Sick, You're Just Thirsty", they talk about how so many aches, pains, foggy minds and diseases are caused by dehydration.
And with that, I am ALWAYS convicted to go and grab another glass of H2O, so be right back ya'll.
7) Coaching/Counseling/ACCOUNTABILITY. NUF SAID.
But, no, I'll keep going.
Make yourself accountable to someone who is gonna call you or ring the shit outta your doorbell if you don't answer cause you're drowning in your blankets in despair. Find a coach! (I did) Someone who is gonna push you, encourage you, partner with you BECAUSE THEY CARE. Because they love. Because, we NEED EACH OTHER in this grand human experiment. Connect with some people who you'd like to be friends with, whom you can be accountable to, share your journey and allow them to come alongside you in loving accountability.
8) Doing something for someone besides yourself.
AKA Serving/Helping. It truly is amazing that when we pick our heads up from looking down, we can see a better perspective. That is sometimes what serving and giving and loving others does to us. I heard a great encouragement that went something like "If you want to be encouraged, ENCOURAGE." I challenge you to try it!
9) Gratitude!
I know you probably feel like laughing at me, some of you. "I am miserable" you might say. "I have no idea what to be thankful for." I do realize it might be an uphill battle as you do the hard task of lifting your eyes from the depths of depression, but just hang with me and try it! Start making it a goal to, when you awake in the morning, regardless of how you feel, set a timer for 3 minutes and spill out all the gratitude you can for anything and everything you can think of.
10) Watch or listen to something funny!
Pysch, Anyone? (One of my fav TV shows)
Try it! Get your body laughing. It is good medicine!
11) TAKE ACTION! Do a little every day!
Sometimes the tiniest action can feel like the greatest feat to overcome when you're struggling with depression. But sometimes we need to take a little action or maybe even get a big fat rude awakening! Maybe a small action like signing up for a class, starting a workout program, going to an event or telling your friend to drag you out of bed to go to a party or a movie or anything! Sometimes the very things we avoid and seem like HUGE EFFORTS are the very things that contain the MAGIC!!! Why not try something!? I mean it's either lay in bed miserable or get out and take action and be miserable but now with the option of making progress!
I challenge you, take SOME ACTION! Take just 1 of my 11 Weapons and try it every day for a while! Make a dent in that damn depression! Come on girl, come on man!
Share this out with a friend who you know needs this! Please send the link to someone you love or SHARE on your Facebook if this helped you!
Soooo, let's bring it in for a landing!...
Yo, depression can feel like a death sentence.
It SUCKS. I have been in that place of feeling completely alone, suicidal and in total despair, when I'd rather sleep until life is over. Ah, my beautiful friend, that is a hard and painful place to be. I truly know.
And here is what I also know: YOU ARE REDICULOUSLY, FABULOUSLY POWERFUL! YOU ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. I believe that the dark forces that wage war against God are DETERMINED to keep you from your God created destiny, the one that makes you shiver, the one that fills you with joy, you're losing track of time as you love and serve and make an impact on your world. So, I charge you, USE THESE TOOLS. Try them my friends! Don't wait. I highly suggest JUMP. Leap. I know it feels like you're jumping with a straight anchor attached to you, but YOU ARE STRONG. YOU, YES YOU are powerful.
DEPRESSION IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE.
Let's use these weapons together to wage some mothereffing war on depression.
Also, check out the full photography series that I modeled in by Muskrat Mamma Photography called COLOR, all about coming out of depression! Here's the FULL photo journey! http://muskratmammaphotography.pixieset.com/color/
Here's her website!!! Hit her up for your OWN COLOR session or any other photography needs! Leeanna at http://www.muskratmamma.com
Blessings of an abundantly joyful life upon you!
Until next time, live CRAZILY JOYFUL!
Constance Joy
