Test Your Comfort Zone
Don’t be afraid of a little adventure in your life! It does not have to be anything too intense, but make it something that is challenging for you.
Does the thought of camping in the woods with no electricity a little scary? You may be surprised how close you and your partner may become, simply from building a tent and spending a weekend together without distractions.
Try new foods, travel and do not hold back. Keep your relationship interesting and your mind will thank you.
Dynamic Meditation
You may be thinking “I’ve tried meditation and it doesn’t work”. Well, this is no ordinary meditation where you sit still and focus on your breathing. This involves shaking, vibrating and moving the body, expressing all trapped emotions that are being compressed in mind.
If we think of our experiences with depression, it manifests itself in the body quite noticeably. Our shoulders turn inward, our posture suffers, our eyes become sensitive to light, etc. By opening up our body with dynamic meditation and express ourselves, we relieve this tension within our bodies and in turn, our minds.
Spend Time Outdoors
It’s difficult to find some good nature since most of us live in a city, however, a short drive or bus ride and you can be surrounded by trees. Even your local city part can provide relief from concrete and our man-made complexities.
There have been studies that suggest going to for a nature walk reduces stress and helps us feel more present and grateful – even some therapists invite their clients to "walk and talk" in parks to encourage them to relax and open themselves up more freely.
A theory for the rise in rates of depression is the fact that our lifestyle is so contrary to how we have lived for thousands of years. We evolved in tribes; exercising and being immersed in nature was a given.
Today we are disconnected from the natural world, are indoors more and tend to look at our screens more than another human being (just like you are doing right now).
A simple forest walk can help you deal with depression in two ways:
- We know exercise helps with depression, so this forest walk is a perfect way to move your body and get the blood flowing.
- You are disconnected from the world and brought back to your ancestral roots. No phones, computers, television, politics, cars or concrete. Just do your best to recognize the beauty no matter how deep the feeling of depression becomes. There is a simple beauty in the forest and take your mind back to a simpler time, in nature.
Try Talk Therapy for Depression
This can mean speaking with a therapist or merely talking to a friend, family member, online friend or anyone you can trust. Talking to someone goes back to the term "expression" because we are no longer holding in our thoughts and emotional baggage.
Talking about how we are feeling takes energy, and there are times we just may not have that motivation, and that is okay. When you feel the time is right and are ready to open up, please realize that just by telling someone how you feel can make an enormous difference in your mood.
Loneliness is a tremendous feeling with depression, and once someone else knows how you feel, you no longer are entirely alone in the battle. The person you trust can hold onto some of that baggage, which will make you feel just light enough to get through another day.
Listen to Music
It’s difficult if not impossible to find someone who does not like music. You can play the guitar, drums or bass when you are feeling depressed, and just by creating something that maybe cannot be expressed with words, you will feel better!
If you cannot play an instrument, we have music we can listen to! Is there a particular genre of music that makes you feel good or helps you relax? Maybe there is a song that “pumps you up” and gets you motivated to take that first step out of bed. Music can even remind you of something or someone that makes you smile and for a moment, relieving you from the burden you may be holding.
We encourage you to find that beautiful song that fills your soul and helps you realize that happiness and beauty will come again.
These are only a few things that can help you deal with depression, but there are many more you can discover on NewLifeOutlook as well. It’s all about finding what works for us and filling our mental health toolbox, so we have the right tool to fix the challenges we face in our lives.
