Life is tough. Sad things happen. And, sometimes, many of us struggle with depression and sadness. For some, this comes and goes with life situations and circumstances. For others, depression is a cloud that seems to follow us wherever we go. However, I have a few ways that could help you deal with depression well no matter how it presents itself :
Now , most of us are acquainted with the first three points, however, the fourth one , the term ‘’depression breaks’’ might seem unfamiliar to you. When we’re going through hardships in life, depression can pay us a visit. That’s when we could use some fresh air and that’s when we need depression breaks.
And the best ones I've found come in the form of the people we usually take for granted for the people who we tend to ignore on a daily basis.
These so-called “invisible people” are everywhere—they are all around us. They usually escape our notice. But they are the unsung heroes of our day-to-day food-service workers, Landscapers, construction workers, Cashiers, and sanitation truck drivers. Supermarket shoppers, grocery stockers, Bus drivers, and customer-service personnel and so on, we pass-by these people so often and yet tend to give little importance to them. These often-invisible people have names. They have friends and families who they truly love and care about. They have hearts and heartaches. They battle with worry, fear, emotional pain, and guilt and other such emotions of life just like you. And yes, chances are they battle depression, too.
You can make a real difference in the lives of these often-invisible people while providing some relief for yourself. Here are a few ‘’depression break’’ method steps that you could follow and discover the rewards it brings you.
Step One: Watch
Make the choice to take a break. Breathe deeply. Set your mind to deliberately notice the people you encounter.
Observe them. Note their faces, eyes, and body postures. Notice what they're wearing and what they're doing without judgments. This forces you out of your own head and eases you into the present moment. At that instant, you’re living life in the here and now.
Step Two: Communicate
Acknowledge them. Take an interest. Let them know you've seen them. Greet them. Many have name tags. Notice their name and use it. Names have power. By using their name, we're sending a powerful message: "You matter."
Each person is unique in human history. One of a kind. Everybody is so different from one another and valued and precious.
Step Three: Affirm
After engaging them with them, find a way to encourage them. Our world tends to be pretty negative. Most people feel judged, evaluated, and picked apart on a daily basis. Challenges are everywhere. Problems tend to occur so a kind act can cut through the obstacles and give a little hope or even a lifelong impact of positivity, gratitude and compassion. Try to compliment one another , be nice to people , be kind to people. You can use sentences like
"Thank you for all you do. You're more important than you know."
"Keep up the great work. We can't do this without you."
The response you get are amazing, some of them look at you shook, some embarrassed but with a delighted grin, some of them might even tear up and hug you.
You can make someone's day, week, or month in less than 10 seconds. Set your mind to enter their world. Find a way to say, "I see you. You matter."
The results can be extraordinary; not only for them, but also for you.
When you feel rejected and judged and alone, break out by giving away what you need. As you do , you will see how you receive the same that you are giving. Because as we begin to see the often-invisible people around us, something happens inside. Our hearts expand. We can be people who spread positivity , love and care for each other no matter what. Try to turn the pain into purpose and this way you can use sadness and even depression for good.
The world needs you. Take a depression break today.
