How do you know you are depressed? Because you feel like utter crap. And what are the consequences of feeling bad?
Hating your life
Withdrawal from life
Low energy
Lack of joy
Lack of optimism
Generally fatigue and lifelessness
Basically, if you let depression take hold of you, it will suck the very life and energy out of your existence. I know, I’ve been there. I suffered from Chronic Fatigue for 15 years.
So if your emotions are the indicator of your depression, surely if you can gain control of your emotions, you can gain control of your depression and get yourself out of it. Yes?
Well you can. By paying attention to your thoughts and choosing to deliberately think only thoughts that feel good to you, gradually - over time - you can think your way out of depression.
Can it really be that simple? Yes. Because your chronic thoughts create your feelings. And thoughts are electro-magnetic. So you attract more of whatever you are thinking about.
Think about it. To have thought your way into depression you’ve been doing the exact opposite: focusing on negative thoughts which made you feel bad, heavy, and lifeless. And overtime, because you’ve not changed your negative opinions, perspectives or thinking, you’ve got to feeling worse and worse and worse. Until you pronounce yourself ‘depressed’.
So to reverse the situation you’re in, you’ve got to reverse your thinking and focus on positive thoughts which make you feel lighter, relaxed and more alive.
It’s a bit like when you run a cold bath. Although the water at the start may only be tepid or slightly cold, if you leave it running until over time it completely fills the bath, as it gains momentum what started out as tepid becomes arctic cold when you put your hand in it.
And what’s the process of turning a freezing cold bath into a boiling hot one? You turn off the cold tap and turn on the hot tap.
And although, to begin with, the hot water has no impact on the cold water, over time as it builds momentum, the hot water neutralises the cold water, cancelling out the chill, and you end up with a boiling hot bath.
Yes, it takes time and concentrated focus. But it’s the only way to truly get yourself out of depression without a reliance on pharmaceutical drugs, which can become an artificial prop.
So what is ‘a better feeling thought’?
It can be anything you want it to be. So long as it gives you a better feeling than the one you’re feeling now.
If you’re feeling powerless, thoughts of revenge can be life giving. While if you’re feeling bored, a feeling of hope can bring improvement.
This part of the process is entirely personal; there’s no one generic answer for everyone. You all have your own personal perspectives.
So to think a better feeling thought, should I not face my current reality? Absolutely not, if it’s making you feel depressed.
While you may not be able to change your physical circumstances right now, you can certainly change the focus of your thoughts. And what I’m telling you is to think anything - yes ANYTHING! - so long as it makes you feel better. And by doing this, you’ll begin the process of thinking your way out of your depression, so long as you commit to the process.
Every time you become conscious of your thoughts, look for a thought that makes you feel good. Because being unconscious of your thinking is what’s led you into your depression in the first place.
Basically the solution is ‘Thinking To Feel Good’. Paying attention to the way you feel and deliberately only thinking positive feel good thoughts about every aspect of your life.
So what does this mean? Changing your beliefs and opinions about aspects of your life, which up until now you may have been unconscious of? Yes.
Answer the following questions:
What do you think about money? Is it good or bad?
Is the world getting better or getting worse?
What do you think of Donald Trump?
How do your answers make you feel?
Can you see how this works? You’ve got to think positive thoughts and have positive opinions about all aspects of your life - even if it goes against your current beliefs and life experiences - if you are ever to truly free yourself from depression.
You’ve got to work your way through your current belief system, and re-evaluate your beliefs about all the aspects of your life to ensure one or two existing beliefs in key areas of your life aren’t dragging you down.
Thinking positive means being ever optimistic, even in the face of hopelessness, because you’ve got to think past your present reality and life experience to date, to a more improved version of you and the world. Because that’s the only thing that will get you feeling good. Facing your immediate reality can - and often does - suck the life out of you. And seeing your future void of hope also leads to depression.
Depression is all about your mental focus, nothing else. You cannot control life experiences, but you can control your mental perspective on it. No one else can control what you think. Unless you are unconscious of your are thinking.
Does this still apply if people have experienced great trauma in their life? Absolutely. While you cannot change the circumstances of your past, you can certainly change your perspective of them to one which feels better. It may take some effort and a shifting of old beliefs, but the end result will be a releasing of the pain and discomfort which exists whenever you think about that subject. It’s all about committing to the process and always looking for thoughts that feel good to you.
So what are the signs this is working?
Don’t expect immediate results - life is not a McDonalds drive thru - but you’ll find yourself being able to cope with your present reality, feeling more energised and relaxed. And over time you’ll get your zest and enthusiasm for life back, ultimately feeling more alive.
And because you’ve done this yourself, ultimately you’ll feel more empowered. And that will lead you to experiencing a more fulfilling and adventurous life.
So it really is that simple. By paying attention to your thoughts and choosing to deliberately think only thoughts that feel good to you, gradually - over time - you can think your way out of depression.