If you're reading this you probably feel extremely - maybe even severely - depressed.
I know what that feels like; you're not alone.
I'll share something with you that will make you feel much better.
People who’ve never suffered don’t understand how being depressed damages your life. It’s like having a black cloud wrapped around your head making everything dark. You can’t see anything or even know where the road ahead lies.
It’s like being in a deep, deep black pit where there’s no bottom and you’re free falling. I know how that feels - hopeless and helpless. And no one understands and they might think you're just skiving or you should just get on with it and stop complaining.
But you can’t because the depression has its claws around you and no matter how many times you try to get out from under it, it's impossible to escape.
Fighting It Hurts You More
Here’s the thing, when you try to push the depression away, it makes it worse. Like pushing wet sand, the more you push, the harder it gets. In the same way, trying to make yourself get out of the depression with words like: “pull yourself together,” “you're useless,” “what’s wrong with you?” just don’t work.
Because those words make you feel worse, not better. They are critical and harsh. In turn, the depression gets worse, not better.
So What’s The Answer?
The answer is to accept the depression for this moment. It’s to know that you are depressed and for the next few minutes, accept that you are completely powerless to change it. Right now.
Sound like it’s going against everything you’ve ever heard about depression?
Yes but everything you’ve heard about recovering from depression hasn’t worked. If it had you wouldn’t be reading this.
You don’t have to accept the depression for the rest of your life, just for the next few minutes…maybe an hour. Projecting into the future is a waste of energy and it's a distraction from what's happening inside. It's time to sit with the depression, even indulge in it, and here's why.
Feeling Depressed? Why This Will Make You Feel Better
Being depressed IS the worst thing in the world. However, there is a reason why you are depressed. You weren't born depressed. So, something's changed.
Let’s think of the word depressed for a moment. When you say it out loud it also sounds like "deep rest."
Depressed or "deep rest?"
Instead of seeing being depressed as a bad thing, it is much more gentle and loving to see yourself as needing deep rest. What do you need ‘deep-rest’ from? Here’s a few suggestions:
The struggle to be your true self
And be the person you really are
You may have been projecting an image of yourself that was false
Trying to please others
Saying yes to people when you wanted to say no
Feeling guilty for standing up for yourself.
Scared of being judged
Hiding your authentic self
Not let anyone see who you really are
Playing tough when you felt sad…positive when you felt hopeless or, pleased when you felt angry.
The weight of trying to be someone you aren’t or keeping the mask of your 'false-self' tight so it won’t slip is too much for anyone to bear. We all long to stop pretending and be real, be our real self and be honest about our loneliness, shame and hurt.
So your body has given you this opportunity by slowing you down. It’s made you stop functioning so you can take on some deep rest. And now is the time to rest, deeply rest. Here’s how to start:
Just stop, just breathe out and notice the release of tension.
Just accept the depression for this moment.
Know that you are depressed and that you need deep rest and you don’t have to sort anything out right now.
You can just relax and let go.
You are entitled to feel depressed.
You can cope with this one hour at a time.
Allow yourself to rest and cry.
Allow yourself to rest and feel.
Allow yourself to rest and breathe.
Allow yourself to rest and be yourself.
All is well and this is where you are meant to be.
Good things will come to you.
Allow life to work for you.
You may think your depression is unbearable, that you can’t bear it and that you’ll lose control.
But you are bearing it.
Life is holding you while you bear it.
Let the feeling of bearing it sustain you until it passes.
Acceptingly resting is THE MOST POWERFUL way to overcome depression.
It’s the beginning of change that will resonate for the rest of your life. You will look back and recognize this moment as the day your life transformed.
Follow your inner wisdom and deeply, deeply rest.
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