Depression is something we all experience at some point in our life. If you are reading this, chances are you are either depressed, were depressed, will be depressed, or you know someone who is. It’s a part of the ebb and flow of life and evolution just as much as happiness is. It’s kind of the elephant in the room for a lot of people, and I know that talking about depression is something a lot of people feel uncomfortable and sensitive about.
I’m not speaking about something that is currently outside of me that I am looking back on. As someone who is currently experiencing depression in their life, I want to share some insights that have arisen to me to help others who are in a similar situation to me.
First off, don’t be ashamed that you are suffering, and don’t beat yourself up for not being able to get over your depression. Honestly. It’s not un-spiritual to admit to yourself that you are depressed or feel like giving up in life. It’s actually more spiritually mature to be completely honest with yourself and face your demons without running from them. Let’s take a look at some things that can really shift your perspective during times of depression:1) Your pain is just a process
Your pain and suffering is not permanent. When you say “I am depressed”, you are asserting that depression is something that belongs to you and is a part of who and what you are. Try saying “I feel depressed” instead of “I AM depressed”.
One recognizes your experience as a temporary feeling that has the ability to leave, the other ties you to the feeling through identification. You are not ‘depressed’. Catch yourself whenever you say that, and correct yourself until it becomes a habit to say “I feel” instead of “I am”. You simply feel depressed, and all feelings come and go.
Your pain is here to serve you by showing you some aspect of yourself that needs improvement. It’s an opportunity to live life from a place of higher consciousness. It’s something that you are witnessing and something that is serving a purpose in your life in some way, and will continue to as long as it remains in your life.
I promise you that if you are reading this right now and are suffering from depression, there will be a time in your life where you look back with gratitude that you were blessed with the opportunity to experience depression.
2) Each moment is an opportunity to improve your situation
Every single present moment is a chance to improve your situation. It’s also a chance to slip further into depression and unconsciousness. There are only two possible outcomes that can arise out of this present moment: You can either feel better and improve your situation, or you can feel worse and delay your healing process.
Each moment is a decision between working towards healing or staying where you are. You can either take 10 deep breaths to slow down your mind and stabilize your nervous system, or you can allow your mind to drag you, your feelings, and your attention all over the place.
You can go deep in feel fully, or you can stay shallow and dwell on the surface. You can either meditate, or watch Netflix all afternoon. The choice is yours.
And if you are dealing with depression that is related to self-hate, it is a lot harder to hate yourself when deep down you know you are taking all of the steps you can to better yourself as a person each day. What is this moment showing you about yourself and the nature of the human experience? And what moment are you going to choose for yourself next?
3) You always deserve more love, not less
Being open to receiving love from self, God, and others and being closed off to it is ultimately the difference between healing and remaining in a state of self-loathing. You deserve to feel love and happiness. It doesn’t matter how valid your mind feels it is in claiming that it doesn’t deserve to receive love, you are always worth due to the fact that you are a person who is trying.
And if you feel like you are not trying, then that is even more reason to be worthy of love because there must be some distortion preventing you from trying. A huge weight was lifted off my shoulders when I heard someone tell me that I always deserved more love, not less, regardless of how I felt about myself or what I did.
When you are experiencing depression, it is helpful to get into the habit of misidentifying with your depression by stopping the association of the ‘I am” with “depressed”. Depressed is not who you are, it is just a form in your energy field at this time in your life. Each moment you experience from hear on out is a chance to feel better about yourself and take steps towards your healing, and you always deserve to give yourself more love.