Happy Single Momming: My Personal 'Remedies' for Depression & Anxiety

Good afternoon lovelies. I have been absent for a couple of weeks with a lot going on! I am happy to be back today and ready to share some things. This is not going to be a downer of a post by any means, despite the title.

DISCLAIMER: this is not knocking medication, counseling, therapy, or Jesus.

I have really mixed feelings about depression. While I believe it's ABSOLUTELY real and take it very seriously, I also believe that YOU are the only medicine that will cure it. You and you alone. Not your boyfriend. Not your dog. Not your wife. Not your mommy. Not your best friend. All of these help, sure. The people in our lives are very important to our healing. What I'm trying to say is, YOU have to WANT to heal. YOU have to DECIDE to pick yourself up. No one else can do it for you. This is something I've realized as of late.

I've battled depression for going on about five years now. It comes and goes. And with it, anxiety. I think the anxiety part has a lot to do with always being a worrier and that intensifying by an unspeakable amount when I became a mother. Anyway... I've learned that things are the worst when I decide to let them be. Things are as hard and unbearable as I make them. I'm way too hard on myself and sometimes even get addicted to the pain. People who have dealt with this will surely understand...

Yeah. We all know the song ;).

To me, this is what it feels like when I let it get the best of me (like a little baby>>>)

............. yep. That pretty much sums it up. Does that sound like fun? H NO! But it happens, unfortunately. Okay, so that was a pretty long introduction to the topic, but since I've had conversations with people in my life and also noticed others struggling with these same things recently, I wanted to share a few different things that help me overcome when the darkness sets in a little too deeply. And with that, here are the things that help to remedy the sadness and worry in my life.

1.) Exercise. Cuz the only thing that makes you wanna do stuff is doing stuff.

2.) Laying in a hammock. Not swaying. Just laying, seeing, and listening to the trees.

Seriously... if you haven't tried this, it'll change your life. AND provide for some serious clarity.

3.) Louis Armstrong. This station gives me more happiness and good feelings than any other on Pandora. His music awakens my soul. I'd certainly hope it would do the same for you. TRY IT FOR REALS!

4.) Sweatpants. Some of my friends don't know the beauty that is the feeling of sweatpants, but I am not ashamed to be in a close relationship with my favorite pair.

5.) Christmas. ALL. THINGS. CHRISTMAS. ALWAYS.

(more specifically, Silver Dollar City in all of its Christmas gloryyyyyy :)

6.) I know I said people can't help you, but more of what I meant is no one can FORCE you to get over your own sadness. I saved the best for last on my list. My two beautiful children. When I've been super low, one of them will just do something so off-the-wall funny or even just simply give me a giggle full of joy. That's what really helps me snap out of it. The happiness they bring into my life couldnt' be put into words. They are constant reminders of all of the positive things in my life. Constant reminders of what being blessed looks like. Constant reminders of how easy it really is to just be happy and enjoy life. It's all a matter of conscious decision, at least in my experience it has been. They motivate me to be the best me and to get better all the time. Wow!! I love them so!

Those two right there, man. They are worth being awesome for. :)

And when you finally do come out of the hibernation you put yourself in, it will feel like you've been lost in the desert for an unknown amount of time...

But now you've finally found water... just like they do on Catching Fire.

And now you can finally see clearly again.

I hope you enjoyed this a little or found comfort in it at least. We all struggle. We all have our demons. We all have our baggage. And we all have a past with bad things that have happened to us. The trick is not to make yourself the victim of all of that. To triumph despite all of those things. To not let yourself get so low that you can no longer see a way to dig out. Just be happy. You have so much to live for. Putting some (and I barely made a dent) of the things down on paper that make me happy has really opened my eyes. So maybe my last bit of advice would be to do the same... well... in addition to the things listed above (wink, wink). What are some 'remedies' of yours? What makes you happiest? What has made you snap out of it? I'd love to hear your side :)

Thank you all for reading. I love you muchly!

And just remember... when you're feeling low....