Ten Thoughts to Help You Avoid Discouragement .

"Judge no one, and disappointment and forgiveness won't be an issue. No one can let you down if you're not leaning on them. People can't hurt you unless you allow them to." This is number 9 from the article below. Good thoughts for all of us. See the rest of them here: Ten Thoughts to Help You Avoid Discouragement .

No-Cost Strategies to Fight Depression

Mild depression is something more and more common in our dysfunctional society. The bad economy, people out of work, the endless heat wave in Texas, floods in other areas, illness, addictions, marital problems, ended relationships, kids in trouble; the list can go on for a while. But here are some effective tips to help you fight off mild depression and the nagging blahs that often overwhelm us these days. See them here: Health.com

You don't need negative thoughts

"Try giving up all the thoughts that make you feel bad, or even just some of them, and see how doing that changes your life.  You don't need negative thoughts.  All they have ever given you was a false self that suffers.  They are all lies." ~ From, What About Now? Reminders for Being in the Moment, by Gina Lake

"I've come back from the colorless world of despair..."

"In my own worst seasons I've come back from the colorless world of despair by forcing myself to look hard, for a long time, at a single glorious thing: a flame of red geranium outside my bedroom window.  And then another: my daughter in a yellow dress.  And another: the perfect outline of a full, dark sphere behind the crescent moon.  Until I learned to be in love with my life again.  Like a stroke victim retraining new parts of the brain to grasp lost skills, I have taught myself joy, over and over again." ~ From, High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now or Never, by Barbara Kingsolver

No-Cost Strategies to Fight Depression

Feeling blue, stressed into emotional and physical exhaustion, being depressed, are experiences all of us face now and then. Life can be difficult, confusing, and painful at times. If you are severely depressed, unable to work or maintain your daily tasks, then please seek professional help. Talk to a doctor, a therapist, your minister, or perhaps a counselor provided by your workplace. But if you are going through times of feeling a bit down or discouraged, here are some excellent tips to help you fight mild depression: Health.com

When Life Hands a Hammer Blow

"Do as little harm to others as you can; make any sacrifice for your true friends; be responsible for yourself and ask nothing of others; and grab all the fun you can. Don't give much thought to yesterday, don't worry about tomorrow, live in the moment, and trust that your existence has meaning even when the world seems to be all blind chance and chaos. When life lands a hammer blow in your face, do your best to respond to the hammer as if it had been a cream pie." ~ Dean Koontz, Novelist

Feelings

A little advice about feelings kiddo; don't expect it always to tickle. 


~ Dr. Berger to Conrad Jarrett in the movie, "Ordinary People"

What Does Discouragement Feel Like?

Sometimes when we are feeling emotionally lousy we get discouragement confused with depression.

Although discouragement can certainly lead to depression, is sometimes an element of it, there are differences.

Discouragement is not as debilitating as depression but it can still interfere with our daily routine: work, home life, friends, hobbies, etc.

It can also affect our health, our relationships, our ability to enjoy things, our capacity to make good choices, and our willingness to take on new challenges.

What does it feel like?

·        Cold feet.  Not being able to move forward.  Lack of confidence.  Fearful.

·        Sadness.  Not overwhelming sadness but enough to make you feel down, blue, full of the blahs.

·        Restrained.  Unable to express yourself the way you normally do in terms of joy, pleasure, love, laughter, care and other positive emotions.

·        Defensive.  Not wanting to have to explain yourself.  Annoyed with useless suggestions: “Get over it” - “What’s wrong with you?” -  “Cheer up!” and so forth.

·        Doubtful.  We don’t feel certain about much.  We especially question ourselves. “What is wrong with me?”  “Why can’t I get over this?”  “Why did this happen to me?”  “Why doesn’t anyone understand me?”  “Why is life so unfair?”

·        Loss.  You feel as though all the good things are not for you or meaningless for now.

·        Dull.  When we are discouraged our thoughts slow down.  We get easily confused or distracted.  We have a kind of brain fog. 

If you are struggling with discouragement seek help.  Talk with your physician or a therapist.  Consider the services offered here.  You do not have to live discouraged all the time.

The Greatest Problems

The greatest problems in life can never be solved.  They must be outgrown, by attaining a new level of consciousness. - Carl Jung

How To Find Our Way Through Discouragement

1.      Face what you are feeling.  Trying to ignore feelings only leaves us more frustrated and wanting to shut down.

2.      Search for understanding.  See if there are insights in the messiness.

3.      Express anger, disappointment, fear, confusion in healthy ways.

4.      Reach out.  Talk to those you trust.  Listen for clues, within and from others, for how to move on.

5.      Stay open.  Be willing to accept and not get stuck in denial.

6.      Change your thinking.  Sometimes just deciding to stop fretting over something helps us begin to get past it.

7.      Allow some affirmation.  Be with those you love and those who love you.  Take in some good feelings from being in their company.

8.      Extend yourself.  Offer support to someone else who needs some care.

9.      Be aware.  Not everything is ugly or frustrating or hurtful right now.  Look for glimmers of goodness around you.  They are there if we care to search.

10. Treat yourself.  Buy some fresh flowers.  Take a modest shopping spree.  See a movie you like.  Have coffee with a friend.  Sometimes the smallest things have a way of lifting us out of the gloom.