Did you know that a significant chunk of our population constantly wonders if there is anything more to their lives? And that approximately 280 million people in the world struggle with depression?
I was about twelve years old when I first heard the word depression. My mom told me she'd been diagnosed with it and showed me her pills.
She told me her symptoms, and it was at that moment I also diagnosed myself with depression and made it a part of my identity.
The older I got, the more I fed into that identity.
By the time I was 17, I had already attempted suicide twice. After giving birth to my children in my mid-twenties, I got my full depression license. I was officially diagnosed with major depression disorder by a doctor, and that helped cement my depressed identity. I taught myself to blame everything on my depression (including my lack of purpose.)
Here's how I changed it…
I was watching a Tony Robbins special one day, and I heard him say something that changed my life. He said, "I used to say I was depressed, but now I'm not. I can be angry, sad, disappointed, tired, lazy, defeated… but I'm never depressed."
That's when it hit me. I was unknowingly allowing something outside of me to create my identity. I saw my mom sad, and I was sad, so I created the identity of a "depressed person."
And when I was diagnosed by an authoritative figure, I accepted it. It was almost a good thing, an "I was right!"
moment.
Well, yeah...duh. I was right because whatever you believe, you achieve.
So if I could get myself depressed, could I also get myself to be a happy and thriving human being?
I decided to take on the challenge of never calling myself depressed again. I learned to say things like "this makes me angry, why does this make me angry?" and by allowing myself to feel my emotions and get to the bottom of why I was feeling them, they would just go away.
It did feel very uncomfortable at first. In my mind, I had built a home and decorated it with dark walls, painful memories, and negative emotions.
Now that I was faced with a clean canvas, I had a choice to make. Do I keep going back to what I know? (which was all I knew) or do I try something new?
I made the ladder choice. I decided I was no longer a depressed person and that everything I did from that point on would be to serve others.
I learned to have boundaries, use my intuition, and love myself unconditionally.
Say it with me:
When I'm mad, I love myself. When I feel fat, I love myself. When I hurt someone's feelings, I love myself. When I'm irritated, I see the good in others. When people hurt me, I know it's about them. When I am going through a struggle, I know I can always make it work in my favor.
Of course, I am not a medical professional, and you should seek their help if you feel you need it. I just want you to know that you have a lot more power within you than you think.
You can always choose to change your story.
Ok beautiful soul, I hope this post resonated with you. If you liked it, don't forget to subscribe. I will be giving out monthly giveaways, giving you info on the live events, and delivering tons of free goodies.
I am so grateful for you.
Xo,
Edna