How I Changed My Life
Depression kept me in the dark but it is not anymore
I was depressed after I graduated from college.
There is not much chance to make it big in the industry when you are from a middle-class family. Most of my classmates from college work in a 9-to-5 office job doing paperwork in the office. Only 2 out of the 60 classmates can start a business because they have connections in the industry.
It took me a very long time to bounce back and be the happiest I have ever been. These are some of the ways I helped myself.
Therapy
My therapist asked me “Why did you come to therapy?” My answer was simple. It is because I could no longer deal with the overwhelming emotions I felt every day. I felt like a failure. I had to ask for help. So I went to see the therapist willingly.
It is such a great feeling to talk to someone who listens without judgement and gives me advice on how to deal with mental illness. Most of the time, I would feel heavy after the session because I would need to do what my therapist advised me to do. I had no willpower to do anything except eating and sleeping.
My mental health got better and better after I integrated some habits into my life. These are some habits that help me bounce back.
Meditation and yoga
I stumbled upon a yoga class on Meetup in early 2018. I was curious about it. I asked my friend if she wanted to go to the class with me. We went to the class together and it was very difficult for me. I only went to one class because I was unemployed at the time and unable to afford the classes.
But that class opened me up to a different way to slow down and reset my mind. I started to do yoga regularly since 2019 and it has been my place to let go of stress and focus on myself.
Meditation is one of the elements in yoga practices. It teaches me to focus on my breathing and let my thoughts come and go like clouds.
I found that challenging myself to do difficult poses gave me satisfaction when I worked closer towards the pose. Yoga helps me to challenge my mental strengths and let go of worries. It strengthens your physical health and improves your flexibility.
Hiking
I am afraid of height. Hiking where the hills go high and low and there are cliffs everywhere. That is such a terrifying sport.
But my friends would always tell a white lie and say it is easy. I would go with them and find out the route is crazy for people who are afraid of heights.
Being able to finish every hike without getting a bruise is a miracle for me. I am very grateful for my friends who challenge me from time to time.
Writing poetry
I started to write poetry when I was unable to express myself verbally. Poetry helped me to release all the emotions I felt at the time.
Similar to yoga and hiking, challenging myself to write different kinds of poetry gives me a sense of accomplishment. It has been helping me since 2017.
I have broken my own record and written more poetry in 2020 than I have ever written. I have been posting my poetry on social media. I learned a few tricks to write poetry in these years and I wrote a story to give some advice to anyone who wants to start writing poetry.
Journalling
When poetry is great to release emotions and helps you to leave them behind, journalling is more cathartic. It is because it lets you express in every way you want. You can write one sentence or you can fill three pages in your journal. I read my journal entries from 2017 and 2018 last year. It is mind-blowing how one year can change for the better.
Gratitude
When I am a bit down, I would remind myself to write a gratitude list. It reminds me of all the things and people that I am grateful for and I feel so much better.
When you feel that things are out of control, think about what you are grateful for and you would feel better.
Focus on what you can control
Focusing on what you can control helps me think of ways to solve problems with my own capacity. You cannot control when this global crisis will be over. But you can control the way you think. Focus on the things you can control, such as how you spend your time and how you can learn what you want to learn online.
Think positive
It is not possible to be positive all the time. But it is crucial to think positive because it would motivate you to take actions, instead of sitting back and giving up on life. It would move you forward in life.
If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling back.
— Sam Waterston
There is a theme in all of these.
Challenge yourself a little every day. Go out of your comfort zone. You would be able to achieve so much more.
You would be much more confident and be able to deal with obstacles that come your way. Focusing on what you can control and think positive would move you forward to what you want in life and let you control your life in a positive way.
What helped me get through depression
- Therapy
- Meditation and yoga
- Hiking
- Writing poetry
- Journalling
- Gratitude
- Focus on what you can control
- Think positive
Subscribe to my newsletter if you are interested in creativity. The latest newsletter is on the topic of nurturing your creativity with tiny habits.
Join me and other writers to learn about publishing your book and writing process.
