When You're Sad...

To the person out there who struggles with anxiety/depression,

This one is for you.

(Practical advice to myself and some I love)

Read me when you're sad, laying in bed, and cannot find the courage to face the world today.

Insert your name here,

YOU HAVE TO GET UP TODAY because you have a purpose.

You are loved by an almighty God. He made you in his image and for a reason. Some days sad thoughts will overwhelm you. Talk to Jesus when they do. He tells us to take captive every thought in obedience to God. Do not let the lies of negative thoughts and sadness steal the purpose God has for you. Do not hold your sadness inside and evade it. This is a recipe for anger and pro-longed resentment.

 Be guilt free, feeling this way is not your fault or sinful. Life has a way of hitting hard. I know he is quiet sometimes, but God cares for you. It's ok to be transparent in prayer. He already knows your thoughts and heart. You can admit if you are  feeling broken. He sees your beauty no matter the state our lives are in. Emotions can be deceiving, but you can always cast your burdens on Jesus...for he cares for you. For those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety, do not let other Christians make you feel ashamed or void of faith for experiencing low days. On these days, remember the truth above all else. You are very very important to Him. You are not being punished. You are extremely worth the journey to health.

 Never give up. Every day that you choose to get up, make breakfast, watch birds out the window, call a friend, go to work, venture to the grocery store, smile at a stranger... is a triumph. 

Be triumphant today.If you fail some days and give into the sad thoughts, it's alright. Every day is new. :)

Talk to someone you can trust. This may be a counselor, friend, mentor or Pastor. Don't feel like you owe everyone in your life an explanation. Not all friends are able to be this for you and may not give healthy advice. Love always protects, trusts and hopes. Many people you love may not understand this sadness. It's not because they don't care, they may not have a point of reference.
Surround yourself, however, with people who support you in the positive changes in your life. Negative friendships feed the sadness and can  trigger negative cycles more than you may realize. If I'm a person in your life you trust, hit me up. I'm a decent listener and all personal information stays that. I'd love to be a person like this for you.

Acknowledge what is bothering you so you can take captive your sad thoughts and rebuild them on the truth. This is actually a very important step in cognitive behavioral therapy. Identifying the negative thought, negating it and identifying the truth so you can establish healthy thinking patterns. Try not to only focus on the pain. Instead, hug someone, laugh, smile, create, run, sing and praise God that you are his. Sometimes  big life changes are not on the horizon. Quitting your job, moving, restoring your heart from a breakup, etc, may take a lot longer to pass. You do not need to figure out how to change everything today. All you need to know today is this, GOD wants to be your purpose and can be your cause if you let him. Even on those sad days.

Live a healthy lifestyle. It will have big impacts on your life.

Mindless entertainment and social media may numb these feelings for a while, but they are not healthy ways of dealing with issues that trigger your sadness in the long term.
Take some time to figure out what things make you feel the most alive. Spend more time on these things.

 It's never too late to learn something new. Spending time doing things that make you feel happy will fuel you into making positive changes later on down the line. 

Eating healthy, exercising regularly, volunteering for service projects, helping someone in need, having good routines and taking some time to organize your life a little so that chaos does not overwhelm you will help. It's difficult to hold your head above water when you are feeling overwhelmed. You may have to learn to take a few steps back. THIS IS HEALTHY. Friends and family may not completely understand this, but if you live in panic mode...you will tear those relationships apart without realizing it.

Always remember,

You are not alone. You are loved. You are precious. You have a purpose. Everyday that you choose to get out of bed is a triumph!

If you love or know someone who is struggling with anxiety or depression, hug them when you see them. Listen to them without judgment. They may not always need your advice either. Talking to someone who can  listen objectively (a counselor, etc) may be the most helpful for them anyway. Companionship can do wonders for the heart, though. Encourage and support their passions, dreams, loves. Dance with them, listen to music with them, laugh with them. Don't push them too hard when they need more time. Some days, will be like this. Let them know you love them and you care. They will know they can trust you when they are ready.

(To that special someone that was this for me, your compassion changed my life. It fueled me to keep going.The nights we went to shows, talked about Politics, God and Russel Brand were some of my most hopeful times.You were and continue to always be there to talk to about big or small things...Thank you for understanding that my failures were just missteps and encouraging me to keep going. I love you more than you will ever know.)

Peace and love,

Tiff