Depression is real, no matter how much you try to convince yourself (or others try to convince you) that it’s all in your head. It’s a fact that we can become imbalanced, letting black thoughts flood in. You can find yourself trapped – for a day or a year or more – by an undeniable inability to escape the darkness.
This may happen because of any number of factors, whether physical, mental, or spiritual. Most likely, there’s a general breakdown involving many layers of perception and personality.
And oh man, does it hurt. Depression cripples. It makes everything worse.
Obviously, depression calls for journaling.
- Getting yourself to journal – or for that matter, do anything at all - can be a seemingly impossible challenge when you’re depressed. Set teensy-tiny baby-steps to get started. Find a notebook. Find a pen. Write a word. Write a sentence. Appreciate every step, no matter how small.
- Journal gently and slowly around your depression: how it feels, what it looks like, where it came from.
- Find a way to be loving with yourself. Talk with your Inner Coach about the parts of You that you most value. Devote considerable journaling time to describing your admirable traits.
- Now examine your failings. List them, bluntly, in your journal. Be merciless, which is to say, be brutally honest with yourself. Put it out there in black and white. Get rid of it.
- Moving along, begin to journal about where you think you are going. What will happen tomorrow, next week, next year, in ten years? What will happen when you die? Of course, you don’t actually know what will happen; this is about making your best guess and then seriously considering it.
- Then just look around you. Use your next journaling session to reflect on your environment. Push away feelings and opinions. Just report on the facts of the place where you are. Challenge yourself to be über objective.
- Think of someone you love, or at least highly respect. (Make up a character if you can’t think of anyone real.) Describe in detail their personality and approach to life.
- Return to your core self. How are you feeling? What tender loving care do you need? What answers is your depression demanding?
- Make a list of everything you can think of that makes you feel better, whether it be a small creature comfort or a big personal success or anything in between. Keep adding to the list for a while. Lean on it.
Depression has no solutions, but it usually allows a way out, with time, if you insist. Go ahead and use your journal to insist. You’ll be glad you did.
Could you use some help with your personal journaling? Let's chat! I have been coaching individuals and groups on journaling best practices for almost two decades. And my own experiences with journaling have helped me fine-tune the best approach for reaping the rewards of journaling. More details here!
If you want to learn how journaling can help you tackle life's challenges, please download the free eBook, The Journaling Guide to Manage The Stress and Strains of Life.
Spirituality is an important part of your overall well-being, but can often be put on the back burner. Our 15 Day Spiritual Journey self-paced journaling course can help you get back in touch with your spiritual life through journaling.
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