I'm sorry you are not feeling well. Your post sounds a bit bitter, and that is a stage we have all been through. It’s not a good place to stay. We are all at different points in our journeys and some may not be receptive to all ideas. I can only share my perspective and what I have found to bring results when I find myself slipping into a low dip.
A few pointers I keep in mind:
· Be thankful. Find / list / practice continual awareness of things you can be thankful for. Think on these things. Think on them a lot. I read somewhere, if you have a thankfulness mind-set, you cannot be depressed at the same time. (there’s something every minute for which to give thanks – Here’s 5 simple things now > a hot cup of coffee, face moisturizer, eyeglasses I need to see, five fingers on each hand, soap. This sounds very elementary, but such thankfulness is basic … many do not have these simple things.
· Keep busy. Do what needs to be done, whatever, wherever…. There is always something to be done! Here’s 5 simple things > wash dishes, sweep the driveway, fold the clothes, pack lunch for work, gather all the trash cans. Walk to the store. Whew! Now I need a short rest – to be thankful that I have things to do. … many cannot do these things.
· If you think you have nothing to do, find something to do. If it is not important, then make it important! Make it important by giving outside of yourself, to where it is important and needed. What’s your fancy? Get involved… Here’s 5 things > Bake a pan of treats, wrap some up and wait to give some to the mailman or the garbage truck guys. (Maybe no one has even given brownies to the garbage man). Take an apple to a neighbor and visit for 10 minutes (not to tell about your problems, but just to say you wanted to visit or meet them and ask how they’ve been.... then walk on to the next neighbor) Look for volunteer opportunities to read to blind / old folks in a nursing home, or make sandwiches for “meals on wheels”, rock babies in a hospital nursery, or to tutor early reading after school, etc. -
· Give, give. Do it to keep thankful. I personally have to keep thankful to realize that life is NOT about me! It is about what I can give and do to bring blessing to others. And if the folks around me (e.g. spouse, difficult child, neighbor, co-worker, even my sweet grandkids etc.) are not receptive to what I can and want to give, then I have to find someone or somewhere else to give it. The more you give out is returned back , and it works both ways. – If you are giving out sucky stuff, then maybe that is what returns back. If you decide to have heart to give with gladness, then that gladness is what should return. It goes back to that old saying “Laugh and the world laughs with you – cry and you cry alone.”
All the simple examples I'm giving are just the type of things that come to my mind to get started, because of who I am. You likely have other ideas that appeal more to your personality that can allow you to give in your unique and personal way to make an important impact on others, and in turn come back to you. Even the posting of encouragement to others on this site is a way to give.
I hope this perspective does not sound so harsh. It is not my intention, but I share it, because it is what I always must tell myself - that the only one who can get me going is myself. And it does take effort (sometimes a lot!) so, I often must push myself to get up and just do something – anything - to get going, and make it important in some way (even if it’s important to just clean out a corner of my closet)
This is not easy stuff, as we all know here! We need to start small, one thing at a time, one day at a time. It’s not that it gets any easier, but it becomes a habit and that can be good for us. Do take care, Teriobe. We are all in this together. I encourage you to give some of the ideas a try – And be thankful that "you are going to be alright."