Overcoming Depression: Shift the Course of Your Life

OVERCOMING DEPRESSION
Shifting the Course of Your Life

By Kayla Moses-David

The National Institute of Mental Health defines depression as a ‘common but serious mood disorder’. The definition continues on to say that depression ‘causes severe symptoms that affect how one feels, thinks and handles daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working’! If something is depressed, it is in a state of general unhappiness and despondency. The thing about depression, however, is that it is an emotion: ‘energy In motion that originates from a natural instinctive state of mind, deriving from one’s circumstance, mood or relationships with others’. What we must understand about this is that emotions are our “spidey Senses”. They give us a direct account of where our focus is based upon the feeling we experience. Therefore, when we are going through difficult times and we allow our focus to remain on those circumstances, moods or relationships that are not supportive of our highest and best good, we get into this depressed state.

Depression is sometimes a choice. I want to remind you that your brain is a Super Computer! Your mind has the ability to focus on whatever you tell it to, in addition to bringing about whatever you focus on. If you are choosing to focus on sadness, then more sadness will be created as a result. In order to move from a depressed state you must embrace a higher vibration which can be gratitude, love, compassion, positivity, enthusiasm, giving and the like. Buddhist Philosophy gives us the incite that “all suffering comes from self absorption” or underlying selfishness/egotism. Therefore, in order to overcome depression and improve your mood, especially during challenging times, one must take the focus off of self and what is hurting you and find the positive (lesson or gratitude) in the situation. Awareness teaches us that every circumstance, every situation, every relationship is working for our benefit. Everything we experience is to teach us, grow us and help us to become our true and most authentic self. However, if we choose to see these experiences as traumas instead of lessons or building blocks, we can begin to drown in the emotional pity.

Depression becomes a habit. Psychology teaches us that ‘humans are creatures of habit and routine’. Habits help us through our day and allow us to quickly navigate tasks that we once had to be fully engaged in, to complete. The habits we adopt and decide to keep will determine how we spend our days. How we spend our days is ultimately how we spend our lives. If you are in the habit of responding to difficult times with depression and sadness, this too will become second nature to you and become your habit, thereby making it more difficult to overcome. Why? Because, you have programmed yourself to respond in this way and after doing it multiple times, you don’t think about it anymore. I encourage you to begin consciously responding to situations versus reacting to them. To respond, you must acknowledge that the event did take place, accept your role in it, if any, learn the lesson it taught you, allow any emotions around the event to pass through you and forgive any persons who may have hurt you. In other words, don’t get stuck.

One of my mentors once said that what separates the man from the animal is his ability to use his tools. In our current world, we have access to so many resources, so much information and a way to connect to so many other people. The best way to overcome hard times and improve our moods during trying times is to access and use those tools so we can improve our emotional state. Here are some examples, guided affirmations, meditation and inspirational music videos are in abundance on the YouTube platform. Everything in this Universe operates on vibration or frequency. In order to change from the low frequency of depression to a higher frequency, you can access these tools and immediately place your mind in a different state. Writing is great way to process feelings and express them, especially for those who are not open to sharing with others. Giving back is another great way. Spend time with people who don’t have everything you do. Volunteer at the children’s hospital, women’s shelter or other opportunities that your particular city makes available. This is sure to give you a true perspective shift. Reach out to family and spark up a conversation, make a new friend, get involved in a fulfilling activity or hobby. Love on yourself! Take a bath, put on some relaxing music, take time to groom yourself and pour the love on! Love heals all! Remind yourself of how beautiful you are, how talented and optimistic you are. No way you can be depressed after that!

Do you see how this all started in our minds? What we choose to focus on is what we will see. If you see things as making you sad or hurting you in some way, that is exactly what it will be! I am no expert on depression, but I am a survivor. I used to stuff my depression in my insecurities and looked for everyone and everything around me to ‘validate’ or further support these notions I had of myself. I broke free with personal growth and self-development. I expanded my awareness about what was and what wasn’t accurate for me and in my life. What has been the most significant in all my personal changes is my Mindset Shift! Once I understood the power of my thoughts and my emotions, I started on the path to begin to master them! Let no one take your power or steal your joy. Peace, Love & Light. -Kay

Kayla Moses-David is a natural performing artist, healer and the creator of Lady Kay’s Corner. She completed Sacred Woman training under Queen Afua.