Springtime is a time of new life, beauty, warmth, and celebration. Most people find great joy during this time.  Then there’s people like me. What do I mean by that? Let’s put it this way….Eeyore is my hero. When others see the sunshine and beauty, I see the rain and storms.  That’s right, depression. Depression is real and it’s a killer. I want to share some ideas that have given me success in my struggles.

Realize asking for help is not weakness. Depression is no joke. When you battle depression, it feels that nothing is under your control. However, you must understand that if you refuse to accept help you will not be able to heal the way you want.

Understand you can use the lessons of your struggles to bring about springtime in your life. Lessons can only be learned if you pay attention! This is especially true with depression. Learn from things that “trigger” your depression to worse and avoid them. Most importantly, separate yourself from toxic people in your life. This might include family.

Hard work is paramount for personal growth! The work required to get through depression is tremendous. While the following quote is not directly about depression, I believe it is appropriate. Theodore Roosevelt says it best, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Have hope for the future. I don’t mean wishful thinking of imaginary victories. Seek out people who can help, and once you have accepted the assistance, you can have confident “hope” in making immediate and future progress. This is essential to making future improvements.

Positivity is not ignoring the realization of your struggles. This is a lesson I’ve recently come to accept. When I first started using this principle, I experienced what seemed to be physical pain. However, I worked hard to be positive. While my depression didn’t go away; I was able to change my reaction to negative situations.

Your new beginning is on the horizon! Realize you need help, accept the help, improve on the lessons you’ve learned, work hard, and lastly have hope for the future. It will happen, and you can make it happen! Please if you’re tired and struggling with suicide seeming to be the only option, GET HELP! You are loved and important. You are not alone in this struggle.