At some stage in our life most of us will at times struggle with despondency or even depression.
Or we may have a large dose of self-pity and have a major 'pity party'.
Most will get over it and get on with normal life.
But sometimes the phase does not pass and more and more time is spent in these struggles.
This article is not a study on depression but a few tips that have been know to be of great benefit when despondency sets in.
A basic measure is to check if a good nutricius diet is being consumed.
Often the addition of some B vitamins are necessary, seek professional advice from your local health food store.
During these low times we tend to be emotional and keep looking inward, maybe in self-criticism or self-pity, feeling like a victim and not like one who overcomes.
We tend to take innocent statements of others and apply them to ourselves in a negative sense.
We quickly take offence.
Like the old saying 'take time to smell the roses.
' This is sound advice.
Just start with a few minutes a day, looking outside of yourself, don't think of your problems, banish any negative thoughts that pop up.
This could be the first step in taking control of your mind.
We may not have control over what comes into our mind, but we do have a choice of what we do with those thoughts.
Look at a bird or a flower.
Really look at it, see how the petals come together to form one beautiful unit.
Look how gracefully the stamen comes out of the centre, how it attracts the bees.
Look at the color,.
Take note how different colors blend together.
Allow yourself to be amazed at this beautiful creation.
If you can find the strength, start a journal of the things in the creation that you spend time observing, note what you see, they are all around you just waiting for you to be in awe of them.
Maybe you could end up writing a book of your journey.
Determine to spend this time of appreciatingbeauty every day, you will soon start looking forward to these times of studying creation and realise it is a much happier place than looking inward.
I have never found lasting peace by delving inwards.
There is an article that has been around for many years called "Lessons from the Geese" Author unknown.
I won't quote the article but it reveals some facts about geese.
For example, we have all seen geese fly over in the familiar V formation, there is a leader and two rows form out behind the front goose.
It has been learnt that the reason for this is that as each bird flaps its wings it creates uplift for the bird immediately behind it.
Flying in this formation causes the whole flock to be able to increase its range by about 71% more than if the bird was flying alone.
It saves about 50% of their energy.
If a goose falls out of formation it feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the power of the flock.
When a goose is sick or injured and falls out of formation, two other birds will follow to protect the sick bird.
These two birds will stay with the weak one until it recovers or dies.
Then they will seek to find another formation to join to get back to their group.
This study of the geese gives us a beautiful picture of caring and the advantages of having a leader who gives help and direction.
Who can be the wind beneath our wings.
A shield in the times of trouble.
A secure rock to protect us.
The One who programed the geese to be like this shows us another example in the Bible in the book ofJohn, here using sheep as an example of being careful whom we follow.
"If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good - a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate.
The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.
" Jesus further explained like this.
"I am the Gate for the sheep.
All those others are up to no good - sheep stealers, every one of them...
Anyone who goes through me will be cared for - will freely go in and out, and find pasture.
A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
I am the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.
A hired man is not a real shepherd.
The sheep mean nothing to him.
"(Quote from The Message) If you need leading out of your despondency and depression by all means seek professional help.
But take care who it is leading you, choose the One who has your best interest at heart, who knows you better than you know yourself.
The One with the power to create and heal.
The choice is yours, to keep looking in at the turmoil or to look up and embrace the Good Shepherd.
Have you ever wished you could stand back and look at life and the world to see the big picture of what it is all about?I have a link below to a book that does just that, it gives everything purpose and perspective.
Or we may have a large dose of self-pity and have a major 'pity party'.
Most will get over it and get on with normal life.
But sometimes the phase does not pass and more and more time is spent in these struggles.
This article is not a study on depression but a few tips that have been know to be of great benefit when despondency sets in.
A basic measure is to check if a good nutricius diet is being consumed.
Often the addition of some B vitamins are necessary, seek professional advice from your local health food store.
During these low times we tend to be emotional and keep looking inward, maybe in self-criticism or self-pity, feeling like a victim and not like one who overcomes.
We tend to take innocent statements of others and apply them to ourselves in a negative sense.
We quickly take offence.
Like the old saying 'take time to smell the roses.
' This is sound advice.
Just start with a few minutes a day, looking outside of yourself, don't think of your problems, banish any negative thoughts that pop up.
This could be the first step in taking control of your mind.
We may not have control over what comes into our mind, but we do have a choice of what we do with those thoughts.
Look at a bird or a flower.
Really look at it, see how the petals come together to form one beautiful unit.
Look how gracefully the stamen comes out of the centre, how it attracts the bees.
Look at the color,.
Take note how different colors blend together.
Allow yourself to be amazed at this beautiful creation.
If you can find the strength, start a journal of the things in the creation that you spend time observing, note what you see, they are all around you just waiting for you to be in awe of them.
Maybe you could end up writing a book of your journey.
Determine to spend this time of appreciatingbeauty every day, you will soon start looking forward to these times of studying creation and realise it is a much happier place than looking inward.
I have never found lasting peace by delving inwards.
There is an article that has been around for many years called "Lessons from the Geese" Author unknown.
I won't quote the article but it reveals some facts about geese.
For example, we have all seen geese fly over in the familiar V formation, there is a leader and two rows form out behind the front goose.
It has been learnt that the reason for this is that as each bird flaps its wings it creates uplift for the bird immediately behind it.
Flying in this formation causes the whole flock to be able to increase its range by about 71% more than if the bird was flying alone.
It saves about 50% of their energy.
If a goose falls out of formation it feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the power of the flock.
When a goose is sick or injured and falls out of formation, two other birds will follow to protect the sick bird.
These two birds will stay with the weak one until it recovers or dies.
Then they will seek to find another formation to join to get back to their group.
This study of the geese gives us a beautiful picture of caring and the advantages of having a leader who gives help and direction.
Who can be the wind beneath our wings.
A shield in the times of trouble.
A secure rock to protect us.
The One who programed the geese to be like this shows us another example in the Bible in the book ofJohn, here using sheep as an example of being careful whom we follow.
"If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good - a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate.
The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice.
" Jesus further explained like this.
"I am the Gate for the sheep.
All those others are up to no good - sheep stealers, every one of them...
Anyone who goes through me will be cared for - will freely go in and out, and find pasture.
A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.
I am the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself, sacrifices himself if necessary.
A hired man is not a real shepherd.
The sheep mean nothing to him.
"(Quote from The Message) If you need leading out of your despondency and depression by all means seek professional help.
But take care who it is leading you, choose the One who has your best interest at heart, who knows you better than you know yourself.
The One with the power to create and heal.
The choice is yours, to keep looking in at the turmoil or to look up and embrace the Good Shepherd.
Have you ever wished you could stand back and look at life and the world to see the big picture of what it is all about?I have a link below to a book that does just that, it gives everything purpose and perspective.
Source...