27 April 2011

Find your focus !

Do you ever feel "absent minded" ? It is a feeling of floating aimlessly, almost lost. There is an abscense of joy. This is very much like the depths of depression.
It is during this time that things pass you by, people pass you by. It is like drifting in a fog. During this time so much is lost - we loose the connectedness of life.
As humans, it is important to make connections - to places, people and even some things. It is who we are. So, if you have been feeling "absent minded" lately, it is because you are focusing on the wrong things. STOP. Take some time now, to review your last month and what your focus has been. Now, decide what you would like your focus in life to be.
Every step you take forward, remind yourself of your focus and make sure that your steps take you towards your goal, not further away.This does take considerable effort and you can't slip back into the fog. If it helps you to retain your focus, write your goal down several times and stick it places that you look at a lot . For example , mirror, computer, TV, fridge etc.
It is also important to only focus on one main goal at a time. By doing this, you are sure to succeed at it, as it is of sole importance.
I wish you joy this week. Find your focus and move solidly towards it.
Good luck.
Take care
Deb

06 April 2011

Slipping back into Depression....

Recently I was reminded of how easy it is to slip back down into the depths of depression. It can be an accumulation of things that pushes you down. The signs to look out for are:
* Inability to focus on other people- as one becomes too consumed by self.
* Increasingly withdrawn from friends- a sense of deep unhappiness.
* An increase of crying for the seemingly minor things.
* An overwhelming feeling that life is spiralling out of control and you need to get out.

If you feel this way, seek help. I tend to speak out to a friend and by doing so gain perspective of where I'm at. You may feel the same or need to see a professional, like a counsellor who can help to empower you. Either way, it is important at this point to get all the negative , sad, desparate, overwhelming things out in the open. When you do this, you are able to view things from a better perspective and get a sense of wanting to get out of the hole. It can take a few days or weeks to get to a better place, but , perservere as you will get there.
 During this time, be gentle on yourself. Realize that you are needing some special attention and take steps to give yourself just that. I do not mean, go on a shopping trip to make yourself feel better!!! That is just a band-aid!! Special attention requires assessment of self, talking to someone, writing in a journal and stopping your normal routine to 'smell the roses'.

I'm still clawing my way back up, but writing helps me a great deal. I'd love to hear what helps you when you're depressed. If you get a moment, please post a comment, it might help someone else too!
Take care
Debxxx