The only thing that keeps me from completely vanishing out of the world some days is the fact that I have kids (and pets) to care for. One of the most important things I've found that helps me is to have a schedule. When I have consistent times for getting up and going to bed, I function better, my body feels healthier, and my perspective is clearer. When I have people to help, places to go and things to do, I feel like I have a sense of purpose. And engaging in volunteer work (like the Bishop's Storehouse) boosts my self-esteem and gives me something truly meaningful to do. Having and maintaining a schedule is easier when I have the kids at home...when they are gone, it seems like most of my motivation vanishes. However, when I feel myself starting to slip into the "deep," I have to force myself to stick to this schedule, and sometimes I succumb just because it feels too hard to do anything else.
In addition to the schedule, I've found that food is an important component in how I feel. When I have someone to eat with, I eat less and I eat healthier. I've learned that eating spicy food helps to keep depression at bay. Add a few peppers to one or more meals a day and it will subtly enhance your mood. In general, the more fruits and vegetables I have in my diet, the better I feel. I recently learned that walnuts, salmon and tuna are high in Omega-3 fatty acids and they fight not only depression, but inflammation, cardiovascular problems, and stroke, and improve brain function. I've been trying to incorporate more oatmeal and brown rice in my diet; brown rice because it's high in B vitamins and folic acid, and oatmeal because it is also high in B vitamins and helps stave off blood sugar crashes (and fights cholesterol to boot!). I just found out this month that I should add more cabbage to my diet as well...it fights off stress, infection, heart disease and cancer, as well as depression. In addition, I cannot neglect protein, since it is vital to my body in staving off migraines.
A messy environment gets to me, too. I know that I can't do everything, especially right now while I'm going to school and studying every moment, but I know that having things messy eats away at my emotional well-being. When I begin to feel that way, I will set the timer and spend 15 minutes on whatever is bothering me most. When things reach a certain tipping point, I set everything aside and clean, clean, clean. I'm trying to engage the children in helping out more at home. They will help, but frequently they are not as willing as I might like. The fact that they go back and forth between their dad's house and mine makes it hard for everyone...chores get forgotten or only partially completed, and the schedules and responsibilities differ between the two houses.
Getting out into the sunlight and exercising or doing yard work for a little while each day is also key. The outdoors have an added benefit of making me realize how beautiful the natural world is, and it reaffirms my faith in God. In addition, I make myself interact with people, especially those I like talking to. Though this is sometimes really hard for me to initiate (I question why anyone would want to talk to me), I have found that once the conversation starts, usually the other person has a lot of interesting thoughts to offer.
I have found that if I miss church, don't follow the routine of prayer and scripture study, and temple attendance that it has a huge impact on my mental state. I try to keep it up and fulfill all my church responsibilities. I have come to see that when I try to speak positive things, think positive things and keep focused on all of my blessings, it really makes a difference. Nevertheless, it's hard to do from time to time.
I'm grateful for all the insight I've gained over the years. I'm a very practical person, so strategies like these suit me. I wish it was easier to keep moving forward. The last month has been hard, but I just keep telling myself to stick with what works, and eventually I'll come out of it. I always have!
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