My flight leaves at 1 PM today. It is almost 8;30 AM. I am usually packed the night before, ready to go. But my clean laundry is still in the laundry room. I did get my suitcase out of the closet yesterday and put my shaving kit on top of the suitcase. They are both…
Tag: SMART Recovery
First time on a plane
Ok, so it’s the first time I will have flown since being in the hospital for depression. I am an avid adventurer and have been flying for over 50 years. I remember when people smoked on a plane. I remember pre 9/11 security and when we called flight attendants “stewardesses.” Giving up control to the…
101 ideal activities for my new life with depression
As I make progress and hash out some of the underlying issues that have caused my depression to intensify at different times in my life, I am beginning to see the value of visualizing my new future. I asked for professional medical attention 5 months ago because I has lost my focus. I could NOT…
I want to say thank you for yesterday.
Focusing on the one thing I could control, I decided to look at my attitude towards the weekend. On Friday, I had decided to understand how I needed to think if I was going to relax and enjoy the day. It was clear that I normally would be stressed out about not doing things I…
My new idea in my relationship with depression
Recently, I was up against the wall. 100 or so days ago, I was sure that I had no way forward; I could not even see that there was a way. It was pitch black, or worse, colorless, and my life was emotionless, too. I was going through the motions, not appreciating or enjoying anything….
New thinking is helping me achieve balance in my life
How much time do you spend on self-care? I have been asked that question now for months. I have been jumping and running from one thing to another in my quest to learn all I can about depression. While this has been hugely helpful in understanding and facing depression, it has not left much time…
I found a new place to be SMART
Now that I am back in the workforce, my schedule doesn’t allow me the flexibility to go to support group meetings whenever I want. Before starting back to a “day job,” I was going to three different support group meetings each week held on three different days. There is the SMART group, focusing on Self-management…
With your encouragement, I have written 100 blog posts
That translates into over 83,000 words about my journey with depression. And the journey is just getting started. Journaling has been one of my self-care activities. Writing about what I am feeling and thinking has been a way for me to work through my depression and “get in touch with my feelings.” This is still…
Why did I make that decision?
Making decisions is part of life. “Do I brush my teeth this morning?” “Yes, I will.” “Will I take out the trash before going to work?” “No, I will get it tonight when I get home.” We make hundreds of these simple choices every day. Most of them are routine and require only the most…
My uncharted journey into the future
As I travel the new road facing my depression, it is clear the path is not straight. As I read and learn more about depression, I ran across the concept of stages of change. Currently, I am reading the SMART Recovery Handbook. It reminds me that it’s difficult to change long-standing behaviors, even when new…
