This is Going to Hurt but Then it Won’t
There is a pharmaceutical ad that goes, “Depression hurts.” The truth is that depression does hurt, and it can hurt as much as any physical pain. I know. I have been there, many times. I’ve been anxious, too. Another truth is that humans will do almost anything to avoid pain. The first thing I would…
If You Are Depressed, I Hope You Read This
“The mind is its own place, and in it self Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.” ~John Milton Why? Because when we are depressed, we need to hear the good news. We are so busy listening to the misery track on repeat that anything positive or upbeat just makes us cringe.…
I Healed My Depression When I Stopped Hating Myself
The great majority of depressed individuals are in fact very much loved, but it doesn’t help one bit because self-love and self-esteem are missing. At the bottom line, only your own sense of self-worth determines how you feel.~ David Burns M.D. It was 2007, I remember walking from my kitchen to the dining room…
Build Strength, Have Hope, and Overcome Obstacles
I won’t just survive Oh, you will see me thrive – Rise-Katy Perry As a writing teacher, each semester I have students research issues that are important to them. More and more often, I have students researching mental health issues including depression and anxiety. Time and again when these students present their findings many of…
We Need More of What Norway Has-Koselig
Yesterday I learned a new word, koselig. It is a Norwegian word that roughly translates as “cozy” but can also stretch to mean, “Can I give you a hug?” Koselig, it turns out, is a mindset that Norwegians embody during harsh northern winters-winters that they celebrate, rather than dread, for the reasons others yearn for…
Letting in the Sunshine with Gratitude
“The struggle ends when the gratitude begins.” ~Neale Donald Walsch In my life I have experienced some dark times, mostly self-imposed, and almost all created in my mind. This blog is my way of sharing what I have learned, and perhaps helping someone, who is suffering as I was, to see the beauty in life.…