The Lies Depression and Anxiety Tell Us About Doing Hard Things

The Lies Depression and Anxiety Tell Us About What We Can Do

    Often, depression and anxiety tell us we cannot do things, especially things we perceive as being difficult. Before we go any further, I would like to stress that depression and anxiety are liars. They spew lies all the time. They tell us all sorts of lies. The depression and anxiety I live with like to tell me that I am not healing. These liars also like to tell me I cannot do hard things. If you live with depression, anxiety, or another mental illness, you are likely familiar with these lying bastards. Now, is as good as any time to call out these liars.

    Little lies are one thing, but depression and anxiety use lies that are very convincing. These two know us well. They use are fears and worries to develop the lies they tell us. Depression and anxiety can make us believe we are not strong enough to get through ordinary things. Then when it comes to the larger things, the things that seem more important, depression and anxiety push the lies harder. As we hear their lies more and more often, we become convinced that the lies are truths. We start to believe that the things we need or want to do are not worth the effort. It is hard to live this way. It is a side of life with depression and anxiety that might not get discussed enough, but really needs more attention.  We need to learn to talk back to the lies. There are many ways we can do this, but each takes effort on our part. This where it gets tricky because depression and anxiety are lurking here with their lies.

 

How Depression and Anxiety Make Us Doubt Ourselves

    I would like to share an example from my personal life before sharing more general lies and how we can flip them into truths.

    For most of my life I have struggled with difficult discussions. Whether they have been difficult interpersonal discussions or discussions about my feelings and emotions, I have always tended to freeze. Depression and anxiety scream lies at me. I hear them telling me that I am not capable of speaking about the topic. Other times I hear depression and anxiety telling me it is not worth the effort because no one else cares. Still, other times I hear the lie that what I have to say is worthless. Sometimes all these lies build up in my mind in the same moment. What usually happens, is I freeze and struggle to say what I want to say. I feel like the words just cannot come out of me. I feel stifled because of the lies depression and anxiety tell me.

 

Common Lies Depression and Anxiety Tell Us About Doing Hard Things

    Now. I have been living with depression and anxiety long enough to recognize these lies. Unfortunately, that recognition is sometimes not enough to allow me to break through the freeze depression and anxiety have created in me. It is frustrating. I feel terrible in the moment. I feel like a failure when I cannot speak openly with someone I should be able to talk to. Then I feel even worse afterwards because I am blaming myself and judging myself instead of placing the blame where it belongs – on depression and anxiety. I need to counter these lies with the truth that I can have difficult conversations. That is a truth. It is also true that I have had difficult conversations. That is the evidence of my truth. 

    Now that we have seen an example let’s look at some lies depression and anxiety might tell us and counter those lies with truths. 

 

Lies Depression and Anxiety Tell Us and the Truth They Are Distorting

·      “You Can’t Do It” – How many of us have heard this one? The truth is we can do the things depression and anxiety tell us we can’t do. So, we can turn this lie around. We need to recognize that we are capable and even if we do not feel confident, we can try to whatever it is. We can tell ourselves that we can do it.

·      “It’s Going to Be Too Hard” – Challenges can seem overwhelming when depression and anxiety start lying to us. Yes, things can be difficult, but that does not mean we can not do them. We need to talk back to depression and anxiety. We need to tell them we are going to try and despite them we are going to do it.  We may need to take small steps and go slowly. That is okay. We can do things at our own pace.

·      “You’re Going to Fail Anyway” – This is one that can be tough to get past. This lie takes away hope. That is exactly what depression and anxiety want, especially depression. It wants to rob of us of hope. When we do not have hope depression is winning. When we hear this lie, we need to remind ourselves that we cannot know the outcome until after we have tried. So, we might as well give it try and find out what might happen.

·      “You Don’t Have the Energy to Do This” – Here is another common one. Depression and anxiety sap us of energy. We are constantly fighting these two. So, when they tell us we do not have the energy to do something, we are tempted to believe them. It feels like we do not have the energy, but we do. It just takes a little flicker of energy to take the first step. Once we have taken that first step, whatever we are trying to do will seem doable. We just need to focus on small steps.

·      “If You Can’t Do It Perfectly, Don’t Bother” – Perfectionism is something most of us face even if we do not recognize it. We might stop trying if we are not doing something well. The lie here is that things need to be perfect. There is no such thing as perfection. Everything has flaws. We just do not always recognize them. So, we can turn this lie around by telling ourselves that nothing needs to be perfect. We only need to do what we can. 

·      “You’ll Just Make Things Worse” – This one comes up for me a lot. Often, keeping me from openly participating in a conversation. Because of anxiety we fixate on what could go wrong. This keeps us from seeing how something could work out. It is worth giving something that feels difficult a try. Again, small steps help.

·      “You Aren’t Strong Enough” – I have heard this one loud and clear throughout my life. Depression and anxiety often have a stranglehold on us that leaves believing we are not strong enough to do the things we need and or want to do. We believe we are weak because that is what we are hearing in our minds. The truth is big here. We are strong enough to do anything we need or want to do. We have been living with depression and anxiety. That takes immense strength. So, yes, we are strong enough.

 

Remembering the Truth When Depression and Anxiety Lie

As we live our lives there are a few points that we should keep in mind. These are points

that depression and anxiety will try to steal from us, but we need to remember that these are our truths.

·      We do not need to believe every thought we have.

·      We do not need to do everything at once.

·      We do not need to be perfect.

·      We are allowed to ask for help.

·      We need to give ourselves grace.

·      We can be proud of ourselves for trying.

 

Depression and Anxiety Do Not Define What We Are Capable Of

Depression and anxiety are liars. They have been lying to us from the moment they entered our lives. We do not need to listen to their lies. We definitely do not need to believe their lies. Depression and anxiety do not get to decide what we are capable of doing. They do not get to decide our realities. We will face challenges. There will be difficult times. The important thing to remember is that depression and anxiety do not get to define us. We are capable taking the steps we need to do things, even hard things. 

 

 

Depression and Changing Your Perspective: How to See Situations Differently

                  Recently, I saw something that said, “If you can’t change a situation, change your perception of it.” The power of this statement struck me. I found myself thinking about how I could apply it in my life. I also thought about the ways depression takes away my ability change my perception of situations. Depression clouds our perception of situations, and even the words of others. How do we learn to tell depression to take a backseat and let us do the work we need to do when a difficult situation arises? 

 

Understanding Perception: How Depression Changes the Way We See the World

                  Let’s start by defining perception. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary provides several definitions. For the purposes of our discussion, I think the definition that fits best is “a capacity for comprehension or understanding.” Perception is the state of being aware. We perceive all day long. Every second there is something going on around us. We have constant interactions whether with another person or with the environment. Depression can skew those perceptions. When the dark, heavy thoughts of depression are at the forefront of our minds, our perception of an interaction is going to be affected. 

 

How Depression Distorts Our Perception of Everyday Situations

                  The first level of perception might be whether something is safe or not. It could also be whether something is good or bad. Something that is safe or good might not be perceived that way by the brain heavy with depression. The negatives creep in when we are depressed. What might be a safe interaction causes alarm or questioning. A conversation that is positive might be perceived as something entirely different because the depressed brain is looking for the negatives. It is telling us that something is not a good situation.

                  Some examples might make this clearer. A friend comments that we look good. The depressed brain might perceive that as us not looking good on other days. Someone tells us something we did bothered them. The depressed brain might think we have ruined the relationships. Sometimes a person living with depression thinks in extremes. It is difficult to take things at their literal meaning. Depression colors our perception, and usually it is not a good color.

 

                  

When Depression Influences How We Interpret Social Situations

What about situations that are more than a simple comment. I will use an example from my own life. Since I understand what happens to me the best, I think I can make one work as an example.

                  A few weeks ago, I went to my high school reunion. I looked around and saw everyone getting excited when the saw someone. People were hugging and laughing. I recognized very few people. I didn’t know what to say to the people I did recognize. I clung to the friend I had gone with. My anxiety rose and started telling myself how terrible I am in social situations. The words I was telling myself were expressing my perception of the situation. I perceived not being comfortable in a restaurant with unfamiliar people as meaning that I was terrible at being social. My perception was that I would not be able to talk to anyone and that I should not have gone. What if I had changed my perception? What if I told myself that others were just as uncomfortable as I was? I could have changed my perception and told myself that I just needed a little time to get comfortable. Instead, my perception allowed depression into my thoughts. I beat myself up. I could not get myself to interact. I left early. I missed out on talking to people I hadn’t seen in over three decades because I perceived myself as being unable to interact. 

 

Recognizing When Depression Is Clouding Our Perspective

                  I have had many experiences where my perception of a situation has been misinterpreted by the depression I live with. These misperceptions have left me with all sorts of negative emotions. I know I need to work on changing my perceptions of situations. But how do I do that? How do others do that?

9 Strategies for Changing Your Perspective When Living with Depression

                  We have seen misperception in action. Now, let’s figure out how we change our perception of a situation when depression is taking over. It is not easy to change our perceptions and will take some work. We need to be willing to do that work. We also need to recognize that sometimes we will be successful, and other times we will struggle. The important part is the trying. Here are some steps we can take:

 

·      Recognize that depression is influencing our thoughts – Depression can act as a filter we see the world through. It can change what normally would be a minor disappointment into a major failure. When we are faced with a situation that is making us feel like this, we can ask ourselves if we are seeing the situation as it really is, or if we are seeing it through the lens of depression. When we recognize that depression is clouding a situation, we can work to create distance between our perception and our feelings.

·      Challenge negative thoughts - Negative thoughts often become automatic when you live with depression. They are our brain’s go-to. To challenge these thoughts, we can ask ourselves questions like:

o   What evidence do I have that this is true?

o   Is there another way to interpret what happened?

o   Am I assuming the worst?

o   Would I think this way about someone I care about?

o   Am I looking at the entire situation or only focusing on one negative piece?

·      Separate feelings from facts – While our feelings are real, they do not always accurately depict a situation. Examples include feeling like a burden doesn’t mean we are one. Other examples include feeling unwanted doesn’t mean no one wants us around and feeling like a failure doesn’t mean we are one. We shouldn’t dismiss our feelings, but we need to leave room for another interpretation. We can tell ourselves: “My feelings are valid, but they are not always an accurate reflection of reality.” 

·      Look for gray areas – When we live with depression, we often think in extremes. We can try looking for a middle ground to situations. For example, a difficult conversation, doesn’t mean the other person is angry with us. Making a mistake doesn’t make us a failure. We need to look for the gray areas, the in between. What happens if we try to find the middle ground and recognize that the extremes are not reality.

·      Consider other possible explanations – We assign meaning to things that happen to us. We do this almost immediately without thinking. When we live with depression, we usually assign a negative meaning right away. We need to work on giving ourselves permission to consider other explanations. If someone speaks harshly to us, it doesn’t automatically mean they are angry with us or that they hate us. It might be that they are having a bad day or that something that happened was troubling to them, We may not know what is going on with the other person. We do not automatically need to assign the negative meaning.

·      Practice self-compassion – Those of us living with depression know that we can be our harshest critic. We can be incredibly hard on ourselves. We need to try to change the way we talk to ourselves. We can use words like: “I’m dealing with something difficult, and I’m doing the best I can,” “That was a difficult conversation, and we both needed to be heard,” and “I don’t need to accomplish everything today.” We want to try to treat ourselves and talk to ourselves the way we would talk to a loved one or friend.

·      Don’t make a permanent conclusion based on temporary feelings – This is difficult, especially when the depression is heavy. We might have an interaction with someone and feel like everything has changed for the worse because of the interaction. That is often not true. Sometimes we just need a little space or time to reassess the situation. What happens in the heat of a moment is usually not reality. Rather, it is a result of making quick judgements. An example might be having a bad day and thinking tomorrow will be just as bad and nothing will improve. Sometimes it is best to postpone making judgements until we have had a little space and had a chance to think about things. We can wait until we are feeling more settled or at ease before making judgements.

·      Look for small things that offer a different perspective – When we are depressed, it usually difficult to see beyond the moment or situation. We do not need to change our entire outlook. Instead, we can look for little opportunities to shift our attention. Maybe we spend some time outside or listen to music that soothes us. We can talk with someone we trust. We can try an activity that we find enjoyable. Doing these things won’t change the situation, but they can help give us the space we need to see things differently.

·      Give ourselves permission to see things differently over time – It is by no means easy to change our perceptions. There will be some days where it is easier than others. There will be days when depression makes it impossible to change our perception. That is okay. The goal is to recognize when depression is influencing our perception and to take steps to create distance from those thoughts and do small things to step in the direction of changing our thoughts.

 

Learning to Challenge Depression and Change Our Perspective

Depression doesn’t tell the truth. It tries to make us feel bad. It wants us to see the

negative. It is difficult to battle this. That is why we need to work on these things in therapy. We need to set up strategies to use on our own. We can have reminder notes posted somewhere in our personal spaces. We can keep a list of strategies on the Notes app on our phones. We can reach out to our mental health teams when we are struggling.  The goal is not to erase all negative situations. Rather, the goal is to learn to cope with negative situations in the safest way for us. 

 

We Don't Have to Face Difficult Situations Alone

                  Right now, I am struggling with some difficult situations. I know I need to take the advice I have shared here. I also know how hard that is. So, if you are struggling, know that you are not alone. We can work through the difficult situations together. 

 

 

It's Okay to Have a Bad Day: Self-Care Tips for Depression and Anxiety

                  Bad days happen to all of us. Simply put, bad days are a part of life. Living with depression and anxiety often make the bad days seem worse. The bad days may seem to occur more often. I struggle with bad days. However, I have learned an important lesson about bad days from my mental health team and from experience. It’s okay to have a bad day. In fact, it is okay to have multiple bad days.

                  We want everything in our lives to go well. This leads to pressure to always have things go right. That pressure is unhealthy. There is a line from a Grace Slick song that I mention often because it plays a powerful role in my life. I think this line, “Let it go” applies to the pressure we put on ourselves and feel from others. We need to let that pressure go. It is not serving us. 

Letting Go of the Pressure to Be Okay

                  Letting go of the pressure not to have a bad is tough. We see people who seem put together, people who seem perfect. We think that they don’t have bad days. We put pressure on ourselves to be perfect. Then when we have bad day, we internalize it as a failure on our part. Depression and anxiety start talking to us. This makes the bad day worse. We feel the pressure not to let things go bad.

                  Letting go of the bad days is tough, but it is something we need to do. First, we need to recognize that it is okay to have bad days. They are going to happen. Once we have recognized the bad day, we can begin to let it go. One way to do this is to use self-talk. We can tell ourselves:

·      It is just a bad day. I have been through times like this before.

·      Sometimes things do not go as I planned and that is okay.

·      I can retry tomorrow.

·      I am going to let go of today. 

 

Giving Yourself Grace When Living with Depression and Anxiety

Part of the difficulty we have is the pressure to be okay. We need to push back

against that pressure by giving ourselves grace. “Give yourself grace” is a phrase we might hear often. I was reminded to give myself grace recently. I thought about it and realized I really didn’t understand what it meant to give myself grace. I guess I had the general concept, but I wanted to know the full meaning. After some research, I have a better idea of what giving myself grace can mean. Let me share what I learned.

                  Giving ourselves grace means allowing ourselves to be human. When we give ourselves grace, we allow ourselves to make mistakes, to struggle with things that may seem easy for others, and struggle with things that are tough. We accept that we will have difficult times. We choose not to criticize ourselves. Instead, we treat ourselves with patience, compassion, and understanding. We recognize that we need these. In essence, giving ourselves grace means being kind to ourselves. We might tell ourselves something like, “Today was hard. I don’t need to feel guilty about it. I will just do what I can and that will be enough.” 

                  To give ourselves grace we may find it necessary to accept our feelings without judging them. We might need to adjust our expectations. What we can manage might look different from day to day. We need to let go guilt. This means understanding that we need rest and that it is okay to ask for help. We can acknowledge that we are struggling. We do not need to pretend that we are okay. Just because we have a bad day, the progress we have made, the good things that have occurred are not erased. Our progress is not always linear. It is also important to speak to ourselves with kindness. If a loved one or friend were struggling, we would treat them with understanding and kindness. We owe ourselves that same grace.

Remember, we can only do what we can do. Pressuring ourselves to do more is harmful to us. That is why giving ourselves grace is so important. 

Breaking a Bad Day into Smaller, Manageable Steps

Another thing we can consider is breaking the day down. When we are struggling or just having a bad day sometimes it helps to take a step back and break the day into smaller parts. Facing one minute or five minutes is easier than facing the whole day. If manage to get through five, maybe we will be ready for another five minutes. If not, that is okay. We can allow ourselves to rest and try again later. We need to remember that getting through a smaller chunk of the day is enough. We can rest and try again tomorrow. We do not need to figure everything out. 

Quieting Your Inner Critic on Difficult Days

                  Our minds are always talking to us. There is a chatter that sometimes does not want to shut up when we live with depression and/or anxiety. This is the inner critic. When we give ourselves grace, we are telling the inner critic to leave us alone. I wrote a post titled Silencing Your Inner Critic, which address how to talk back to that voice inside our heads that does not want us to give ourselves grace. Having a bad day, feeling as if we are not okay, are valid feelings. They do not make us weak or failures. That voice in our minds likes to tell us we are, but when we give ourselves grace, we recognize and remind ourselves that we are not what our inner critic wants us to believe.

Why You Don't Have to Find a Silver Lining in Every Bad Day

                  It is important to remember that when we are having a bad day, when we are struggling, we do not need to turn every moment into something positive. We do not need to search for a silver lining. Sometimes things just are what they are. That is perfectly fine. There are not lessons behind every struggle. Sometimes the greatest lesson we can learn is that we need to give ourselves grace. In moments of struggle, we can simply acknowledge that it is a hard day. Nothing more is necessary. 

Final Thoughts: It's Okay to Have a Bad Day

                  When we live with depression and anxiety, there will be times when we are not okay. That is okay. We are human. As humans, we will make mistakes and struggle at times. We may feel bad about something. When this is happening, remember that it is okay to not be okay. It is okay to struggle. Letting go and giving ourselves grace are important. It is important to understand that it takes time to fully understand this. Give yourself that time. Remember, that it is okay to have a bad day.

 

Depression Without a Reason: Why You Can Feel Depressed Even When Life Is Good

 Why Depression Doesn't Always Have a Reason

                  There are many factors involved in living with mental illness that make life difficult. One is the idea that there must be a reason for depression. There is absolutely a biological basis to depression, but when you live with depression, you find that depression is so much more than its biological basis. There are many aspects of depression that cannot e explained. Sometimes those of us who live with depression can explain parts of our depression, but there are always parts that are difficult to explain. That is okay. We do not need to explain depression to anyone. It does help for us to understand our depression, but we need to remember that sometime the depression just is, and we need to be okay with that.

When You Feel Depressed but Don't Know Why

                  Some days I wake up and I feel the depression, but I do not know why I am feeling it. Often, I will do a quick scan of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions to determine where the depression is originating. The reason may present itself in the scan. It also may be hidden. It may just be that my mind is protecting me from the source of the depression. It could also be that my mind has had enough of the stressors it has been facing and it thrown the blanket of depression over me to say we have had enough for now. 

                  If I do not recognize a cause for the depression I am experiencing, I do not force myself to continue searching. I know that the depression needs to run its course even though I do not like the way it feels. I employ my coping strategies and try to function as best I can. I am learning to better recognize when I need to give myself a break or some grace in these times. 

Giving Yourself Grace When Living with Depression

                  What does giving myself a break or grace look like? Basically, it means not continuing to question the depression’s presence. I have learned to “let it go”. This little phrase is so important to me. I learned it decades ago when I heard the Grace Slick song titled “Let It Go.” Since then, I have been working on letting “the depression” go. It is not an easy task. I do not expect it to be. I used to be angry and frustrated that depression always smothered me. While I still am not happy about it, I better understand it and have learned to live with it. This does not mean I am expert at separating myself from the depression. What it means is when I am struggling, I know I can talk back to the depression, tell it what I need to tell, and then let it go. 

You Can Be Depressed Even When Life Is Good

                  How many of us living with depression have been asked, “But why are you depressed”? There is more. The common add-ons to that question are “you have so much going for you,” “you have so much to be happy about,” and “your life seems so good.” People want to know how we can be depressed when these add-ons are true. The answer is not a simple one, because depression is complex. Sometimes depression just is. Two things can be true. I can have a lot to be happy about and at the same time I can feel the weight of depression. The things that I can be happy about are external. Depression is internal. Depression is about how my mind makes me feel. It is not a response to what I have in life. I can wear a smile and be depressed. I can be spending time with friends and still feel the sting of depression. I can take myself so a concert, enjoy the music, and then sit numb in my car afterwards. 

Coping with Depression Without Knowing the Cause

                  I am not a psychiatrist. I do not have the biological and medical knowledge to describe what is happening from that perspective. Depression can co-exist with a lot. Depression does not need a reason for its existence in our lives. It can be present for no known reason. It is no different than an illness like cancer not needing a reason to exist in our bodies. Yes, there are cancer causing agents out there. What I mean is some of us just get cancer. There is no reason. There is no reason for the cancer that attacked me three and half years ago. The same is true for the depression that first invaded my life almost 40 years ago. Some illnesses just exist. 

                  I fight depression the same way I fought cancer. I could not let finding a reason for their existence be important. The thing that is important is fighting with everything we can. For depression that means therapy, medication, alternative treatments, coping strategies, exercise, meditation, journaling, art therapy, and many other things. None of these require me to know why I experience depression. Of course, it may be discussed in therapy, but there the purpose is not to give the depression a reason for existing. We discuss all aspects of depression in therapy to better understand what we need to do to stand up to the depression, cope with it, and live with it. 

Stop Asking Why and Focus on How to Cope

                  We do not need to give others a reason for why we are feeling depressed. I never gave anyone a reason for why I had cancer. I am not going to give anyone a reason for depression. If you live with depression, it is okay to not have a reason for its existence. Focus on how you are going to cope with the illness. Do not ask depression why. Instead, we need to say “Okay, I know depression is here. What am I going to do about it?” 

 

 

Fall Activities for Depression: 6 Ways to Boost Your Mood Naturally

Welcoming Fall as Part of Depression Recovery

As Fall sets in, I wonder what ways I can bring Fall into my depression recovery. I know in other places Fall may be more underway, but where I live, the first signs of cooler weather are just starting. Up until now, summer has seemed endless. For many of us as the days get shorter and darkness sets in earlier, our moods might worsen. Knowing that I think it is a good idea to look for ways to welcome the Fall and use Fall activities to help us cope with our depression.

                  Doing this does not need to be a huge undertaking. We can start with little steps. I have a few to share. I welcome other ideas in the comments. Let’s start by looking at the beauty in the changing of the colors. We go from the sunshine of summer into the earth tones of Fall. Cooler temperatures offer a chance to comfortably get outside and enjoy the changing leaves. I find the browns and yellows of the leaves soothing. I like to look at leaves. They are a part of nature that can represent how we live. When leaves turn to earth tones they are resting. Seeing the leaves reminds me that we all need rest. An earlier setting of the sun encourages us to rest. Maybe getting more rest can be a goal for the Fall.

Finding Simple Fall Activities to Support Your Mental Health

                  While rest is important, there are many activities that can allow us to improve our mental health. Let’s take a look at some:

§  Mindful Fall Walks: Enjoying Nature and Changing Leaves: We can take walks where we take time to notice the changing colors of the leaves, the cooler air, and the earlier sunsets. It does not need to be a long walk. Short walks can be great start and for some a short walk is enough to lift mood. Others may find a longer, more mindful walk is soothing.

§   Cozy Comforts: Enjoying a Warm Fall Beverage: Fall is the perfect time to sit with a favorite warm beverage. Maybe you sip a soothing cup of tea in a favorite chair. It could be a favorite hot coffee drink to start a cool morning. Many people enjoy the flavors of the season. Some people look forward to pumpkin spice season. It can be a mood lifter for many. Personally, I’ll stick to my caramel cold brew, but a change to pumpkin spice might be a mood lifter if you are a coffee drinker.

§  Simple Fall Decorating to Create a Cozy Space: Fall brings an opportunity to add a little decoration to our spaces. I have never been a decorator, but placing a pumpkin or earth-toned leaf arrangement on my coffee table brings a little smile to my face. Decorating can be a mood lifter because it changes an environment. Change seems like a little thing, but sometimes just a little decorating can be a mood lifter. Another idea might be placing a Fall-themed pillow on a sofa or bed can brighten our personal spaces without creating stress. We do not have to go all HGTV. The simple addition of the pillow or a small pumpkin might be enough to add a warm and inviting feeling to our homes, which can lift our mood.

§  Creative Fall Activities to Cope With Negative Thoughts: There are many creative activities that can be Fall-themed. We might take photographs of Fall scenery. Can we get a picture of the browns and golds of Fall? Another idea is knitting a scarf or learning to knit a scarf. We could even use Fall colors. Drawing, sketching, painting are things that we can try. Journaling or writing a story are other ideas. Creative activities offer a chance to break a chain negative thought. Creativity offers a way to express feelings we may not be able to express out loud.  Adding Fall themes to our creativity adds a different touch than we might get at other times during the year.

§  Getting Daylight in Fall to Support Your Mental Health: Even though the days are shorter and there is not as much daylight, cooler temperatures offer a chance to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Often, when there is less daylight our moods can worsen. One way to battle this is to make time for daylight. Maybe we go for a walk on our lunch break.  Spending time in the daylight can help maintain sleep-wake routines, allowing us to get more sleep. Daylight also helps lift mood. Even if we can just get ten minutes a day, we can experience a boost in mood by spending time in daylight.

§  Fall Cooking and Baking: Finding Comfort in Seasonal Flavors: Spend a little time cooking or baking.  Maybe it is a Fall recipe or maybe it is just a favorite recipe. The smells and flavors of foods can be soothing, which can lift our moods. Keep the recipes simple so they are not stressful. 

 

Give Yourself Grace: Small Steps Can Make a Difference

These are just a few ideas. There are other things we can try. The important thing is

that we make time for ourselves. Making time to do things that make us feel good is important. It is also a skill that we need to teach ourselves. So, give yourself grace as you try doing some of these things. It may not look or feel perfect. That is okay. Engaging in activities that can bring us even a small lift in mood can make a difference for. Small lifts in mood can build up to be a more sustained boost in mood. 

                  When we see the changing of the leaves, we sometimes think that the changing colors represent the dying of the trees. I would rather think of it as shift. Fall is a time to shift. Just as the seasons need to shift, we can develop Fall practices to shift our moods. Give one of the activities above a try. Share what happens in the comments.