There’s something very annoying about living with a mental illness.
You never know when it’s going to flare up and make you deal with its symptoms.
You can be happily going through life one day, enjoying your family, job, and friends. But then there are other days when you have to fight against feelings of frustration, despair, and hopelessness.
I don’t like those days. They scare me. They hold me back from accomplishing my goals and growing emotionally and spiritually.
Thankfully, those moments pass and I feel better again. And in a way, I’m grateful for those times. They remind me of how so many people feel.
There are millions (yes, millions!) of people who deal with depression each year. (See some of the stats at the World Health Organization’s website.)
I’ve got some good strategies and plans in place for when depression hits. Talking to my husband Gary, making sure I exercise, and journaling are just a few of the things I do to stay healthy.
The thing is, it’s up to me to do something when I’m feeling that way. (Please note that I’m at a stable place in my mental health journey. Some people need others to step in and do something for them when they’re in a time of crisis.)
The other day I started feeling some of those troubling symptoms of depression. I couldn’t sleep for a while one night because I started ruminating on some things that were worrying me. When I woke up in the morning, I considered skipping my swim workout (I’ve been swimming twice a week for a while now). I could probably get more done if I stay home. Swimming is kind of a pain since I have to drive there. I could just exercise at home instead.
But more than just those thoughts, I felt a wave of negativity trying to crowd into my mind. A wave that would wash away my hope if I let it.
I was faced with a choice. I could wallow in the negatives or do something positive.
So I drove to the pool, put on my goggles, and dove in!
Twelve hundred yards later, I felt much better. I was tired, but I had not given in to the negative (at least not this time!).
Whether you deal with a mental health diagnosis or not, you can probably remember times when you had to make a choice to do something so you could stay healthy. I’d love to hear lots of ideas for staying healthy: physically, emotionally, and spiritually (*See something fun related to that right after this post).
As much as we possibly can, let’s choose to stay healthy.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1–2 NIV)
Do you make healthy choices? How can focusing on God help you to choose activities that will be good for you physically, emotionally, and spiritually?
*I’m going to do a giveaway this week! Comment on this blog post or in my “Catch Your Thoughts with Robyn Mulder” Facebook group (private, but free to join!) and tell me one way you stay healthy. I’ll enter your name in a drawing for an audiobook copy of Life, Repurposed: Stories of Grace, Hope, and Restored Faith. (I wrote one of the chapters!) I’ll go live in “Catch Your Thoughts” and draw for the winner on Thursday, February 17 at 6:00 p.m. Central. My chapter provides a snapshot of my experience with depression, but the other stories are so inspiring, too!
If you can’t wait, or you would rather have a physical copy of Life, Repurposed you can click below to order a copy at Amazon (I am an Amazon Associate, so I will get a small commission if you order through this link, but the cost is the same for you.)