Change

For those of us with depression, the recovery process is a time for change–change in our habits, attitudes, actions.  While change is not easy, to recover we must face changes.  We will only be trapped in our old patterns if we so choose.  I choose to change.  I want to unlearn old, bad attitudes and behaviors and substitute healthier ones.  I know that by living one day at a time, I can succeed.

The Present

The present moment is all the time we have.  I find that I live in the past more than I want to.  And when I spend time planning, I am living in the future.  I tend to deny the present.  This causes me to miss out on the power of now.  By so doing, I am denying the reality of my life and the truest meaning of life.  I will choose to be more conscious of the present.

Adventure

As Helen Keller once said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”  Yet as a depressed person, I have watched life pass me by.  I isolated and hid from relationships.  And I withdrew from activities that could have involved me in life.  But I know now that creating and taking part in adventures is what makes life worth living.  Today I can be alive to all the experiences I have and take in the excitement.  I resolve not to withdraw from life but to be fully part of it.

Specialness

As a depressed person, I tend to believe that I am not worthwhile.  But the truth is, I am special.  This is something I can learn to believe.  I will ponder this today and remind myself that it is true.  I need not believe all the negative things that have burdened me all my life.  I can rise above them and become a whole person.

Addictions

Many of us with depression also suffer from addictions–to alcohol or drugs, sex, debting and spending, food, gambling or work.  We are powerless over our addictions.  But we are not powerless over our attitudes and behaviors and our determination to make changes in our lives.  We can choose to behave properly.  And we can choose to join a 12-step program to help us.  When we do, we’ll feel strengthened each time we do what’s right.  I will take charge of my life and take responsibility for my attitudes and actions.

Now

As depressed persons, we tend to live in the past, focused on our pain and our shame.  But we can emerge from this fixation on past problems by living in the present.  That is one of the Buddhist messages–that to live in the present with all our attention to the now is to live fully.  This is the spirit of mindfulness.  It is a powerful philosophy and one that can help us learn to live with love for ourselves and others.  I will be mindful of the present moment.

Relationships

As we struggle to recover from depression, we are not alone.  Many others share our journey out of the pain of this terrible disease.  It helps to realize that we are not alone.  We can reach out to find others who have the same challenges, perhaps in therapy or support groups.  When we do, we’ll help ourselves to a more balanced perspective and disable the fears that we are alone in a place no one else knows.  I will break away from my isolation and reach out for the support and understanding that can come from relationships with others.

Change

Change is a constant in our lives.  We are always growing, always learning.  Each experience adds to our self-understanding and adds richness to our lives.  Each learning adds to our wisdom and aids our recovery.  But we must accept the lessons and build trust in them if they are to take hold.  I will look for the lessons in each change that happens in my life.  I will welcome changes, knowing that they are helping me become the person I want to be.

Self-understanding

Understanding ourselves is the hardest knowledge of all to gain.  But we who are on a journey to recover from depression must seek this knowledge of ourselves.  We learn by listening to what others say to us, reading between the lines and probing our own minds and behaviors honestly and carefully.  It is no easy task we’ve set for ourselves.  And it is often hard to love and accept the person we discover.  But avoidance and denial must be put behind us.  I pledge to listen to myself and to learn from my past behaviors.  I promise to do so without judging myself harshly, accepting all of me with love.

Challenges

Every day brings fresh challenges.  Often they seem like insurmountable problems we’d rather not face.  But each challenge, each problem, is an opportunity for growth, for creativity.  I will listen to my soul and face each new challenge as it comes, knowing that it is a chance to exercise my mind and to move closer to my destiny.