Empathy

Having dealt with and still dealing with depression first hand, I can relate to others that have ass well. It's one thing to sympathize with someone, but it's another thing when you can empathize with them since you actually know their struggles.

How to look deeper into things and understand their true meaning.

When I have my low moments I try to learn from them, grow from them and not deal with them head-on. Avoiding the dark times can lead to even darker ones, but looking deeper into the void of whats hurting you can help you find something good in it or find a resolution for it.

Everything is temporary! 

Whether it's good or bad everything in life is temporary for me, unless it's my faith. No matter the situation you are going through know that it will pass, something better with come down the road. Nothing will last forever.

Listen more.

If it wasn't for my grandma listening to me vent and caring about my well-being I wouldn't have gotten the help I needed.

If it wasn't for my counselor listening to me talk about my troubles, my dark times, my struggles then I wouldn't have learned how to cope and deal with my depression and anxiety.

Listening to someone is a simple yet effective tasks!

Looks can most definitely be deceiving. 

Numerous people have said that I don't look like someone who could be depressed or have bad days. The truth is depression can affect anyone regardless if you are rich, poor, bubbly, etc.

Writing has become my greatest escape for my depression!

Being able to express myself through writing has become a wonderful coping mechanism. Most days I stay in my bedroom, looking at the same four walls wondering what is wrong with me to feel the ways I do, but writing about my feelings and sharing the messages I have for the world helps tremendously.

Friends will come and go!

No matter if that friend has been with you your whole life or just for a few short days, some friendships will end and that's okay. Know that there is a friendship out there for you that will stay forever!

Erase all the negativity from your life.

If the negativity is a hobby, person, job, etc. If it brings you down and doesn't make you happy, then remove it from your life. There comes a moment in our life's that we have to remove all the toxic that brings us negativity. It's hard to do, but the outcome of doing so is rewarding.

It's okay to be selfish!

You need to do what is best for you, not anyone else. Depression can be a lonely struggle to deal with and in the road of recovery and acceptance we need to do things that benefit ourselves, our sanity, our life and we need to not worry about whether or not bettering ourselves mentally will hurt someone else.

For instance, if you want to keep the knowledge of you going to a counselor or getting on medication private from others than do so. You don't have to tell those around you until you are comfortable. Allow yourself to seek the help you need on your own time, no one else's.

Learn to love yourself!

This is one I still struggle with everyday, but we need to love ourselves first before we can love others.

Fearing failure can only hold you back. 

Failure is always a scary thought, but sometimes that fear can limit us at the same time for going after something that could change our life for the better!

Embrace the person you are!

Don't be embarrassed about being yourself, everyone is unique in their own way and going through life at their own time. Dealing with their own struggles. Don't ever feel like being yourself is never good enough!