When I was depressed I found it help to do some one thing, everyday that would keep me focused on my recovery. It was when I was deep down in the pit of hopelessness that I made a commitment to myself to do something positive for myself. I could no longer just “zombie” through a day and somehow magically think I was gonna get through whatever had my mind and motivation in chains.
Here is what I decided to do: I would walk every day. I would also join a 12 Step program of recovery. The main thing is to have a plan and stick to it everyday. Move the body and the mind will follow. As a result, I began to get into a rhythm where I was able to keep motivated and was keeping faith with myself as I accomplished one small goal after another.
Today, I want to share with you, a simple plan of action for your own recovery here at depresedanon.com. Everything to inspire you to get moving is on the pages of this website. So, first of all, here is a suggested plan of action.
For each day of the week, for the coming 12 days, go to the TOOLS FOR RECOVERY menu, choose one of the TOOLS to work on for that day. You will see that the following 12 TOOLS are all part of the healing elements for recovery from depression.
- Being in Nature 2. Cut off Negative thinking (The Law of the Threes) 3. Exercise 4.Journaling 5.Music 6. Nutrition 7.Positive self- talk 8.Sleep 9. Social engagement (support groups) 10.Stay in the present 11. Removing stress 12. The Serenity Prayer.
So, pick one for yourself and print it out and put it in a notebook. There you can keep it in front of you for each day as part of a written campaign to help yourself. Also, this will be a good plan/record book to see where you have been and where you are going in your recovery…on a daily basis.
Besides working with the TOOLS OF RECOVERY, you might go to the menu’s NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES where you can choose one of the issues for more insights into the Depressed Anonymous Program of Recovery. These Newsletters can be read in conjunction with the TOOLS as an added motivation for each day’s consideration.
Finally, before you start working your planned activity for each day–you might preselect 12 POSTS from the past editions as you move from one day to the next. And remember, you are setting goals only for one day at a time.
Remember the riddle “How do you eat an elephant? Simple. One bite at a time.”
We know, especially those of us who are procrastinators, “that to fail to plan is to plan is to fail. Makes sense to me. Set small goals for each day, stick to it and you will begin to see progress as you gradually work yourself out of depression.
For more information please contact us at [email protected]
Hugh