What are some of your favorite things to live for? I’m feeling depressed and stressed and need to remember positives...

[Starrlight]

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[All_alone]

Hi Starr. I'm like you right now. I look forward to seeing the responses from others.

[Starrlight in reply to All_alone]

Exactly. Hope it will help us both. ❤️ (((((hug))))))

[All_alone in reply to Starrlight]

Yes. I cant seem to get off the couch much anymore.. Hugs to you! 🤗

[Starrlight in reply to All_alone]

Oh yeah I hear ya.For me I am all over the place mood wise.

[Starrlight in reply to All_alone]

❤️

[melbrown]

Big hugs from a love one... the world through the eyes of the kids in our lives (& their laughter)... sloppy dog kisses & the way our pets are happy to just snuggle with us... the smell of rain... birds singing... all of nature

Lots of love Starrlight... think we can all focus on the good right now.

[Starrlight in reply to melbrown]

I loooove all of yours here - especially seeing the world through the eyes of children and their laughter!!!

It’s raining here now.

Struggling to focus on the good because my brain can’t seem to accept me as I am; I just want to be enough. I think I’ll use positive self talk and see if I can believe it...I am smart capable and enough...

Thanks for sharing your positives!!!

[melbrown in reply to Starrlight]

Totally get it... my anxiety has decided to kick into high gear... getting into my own head, shelter in place being extended again- CA, end of May. We've been doing zoom game nights with friends... got to "see" one of my "nephews" as a result this week. Holding on to that right now... Tickle Monster (what they call me) misses them like crazy. Enjoy the rain... let it wash over you. I am going to try to mediate & see if it helps.

[Starrlight in reply to melbrown]

You sound good. I hope meditating helps you. I think I’ll try it too. 🙏 😊

[Starrlight in reply to melbrown]

My 8 year old just placed a towel over our dog who’d been out in the rain. Precious. I meditated and feeling better... I hope your meditation was helpful too ...namaste

[melbrown in reply to Starrlight]

namaste 🙏

😆 too cute. My pup hates the rain... looks at you like it's your fault. Glad you feeling better. I couldn't get into it... going to try again later. Listening to music now, which is helping a bit.💗

[Starrlight in reply to melbrown]

Lol 😂 at your puppy

I’m glad the music is helping ❤️ 🎶

[Downandout123]

My daughter, my 2 dogs, and her 3 dogs. That's about it. Everything else is negative.

[Starrlight in reply to Downandout123]

I hear you. Those are beautiful. (((((((Hug)))))))

Do you want to talk about anything bothering you?

[kenster1]

we can all say we live for our kids our family as a whole holidays and days out with our friends even work but its important to live for ourselves.if we trod through life with a cloud above us all the time then the things above and the enjoyment they bring would fade and feel less special.

[Starrlight in reply to kenster1]

To live for ourselves? ... so do you mean we should listen to what our needs are and have them met first before we can enjoy?smart... So if I have a cloud over my head maybe I’m not taking care of me...

[kenster1 in reply to Starrlight]

all the things we should enjoy more get lost in our clouded minds if we can see and think more clearly we can enjoy everything else all around us.

[Starrlight in reply to kenster1]

Ok I wonder how to be unclouded... I felt unclouded a bit after meditating today... but I feel like the mental illnesses cloud and I guess all we can do is try our best and pray

[Kkakdugi]

I live for my daughter. She is 7 months old and every smile brings me joy.

[Starrlight]

Woah how special! I’m happy for you. 😊

[Hidden]

I live for my family and doggie back in the States (I'm in Norway). I saw some of them on Messenger a few weeks ago and it was hilarious! My 2-year-old niece wouldn't come to the screen without her princess dress on and my 6-year-old nephew came to the screen with his mom in tow wondering where his pants were....

Do you have any hobbies? If not, maybe you can start one (especially now during these times). I sowed pepper seeds several weeks ago and now most of them have germinated. They have really taken off and it's time to transplant them soon, so I've been watching Youtube videos on pepper seedling care. It's fun to figure all this out!

[Starrlight in reply to Hidden]

That’s great 😃 lol at your niece and nephew! Precious. I sowed seeds only but one lavender sprout came up. Maybe I’ll try again! I meditated today and another hobby I guess you can say is running and sometimes yoga. And now doing projects with the kiddos... I keep busy and still I’m glad you are having fun... I want fun... I worry too much lately and It seems I can’t help it but I’m working on being cool/calm and happy.

What is Norway like? Will you return to US?

[Poodie]

Hi Star.

I hope you are feeling better soon.

When I am feeling ok and not depressed, I just look forward to and live for whatever I do. I live in the moment and I don’t really think about it.

Unlike you, I do not have little kids at home that need to be cared for and schooled. I don’t have many outside demands on my time. Children are indeed wonderful, and precious but demanding. Moms have it much harder right now. Do you think you are worn out and need to take time out for you?

Keep in mind this is what I live for in social isolation : Breakfast ! Continuing to sort out things in my house, (next it’s clearing out my “p j’s” so I can fit my tights in a drawer finally), doing my Pilates tape and stretching, washing my hair, taking a shower, dinner with my husband and then watching some episodes of season 6 of “Bosch”, and snuggling with our cockapoo, hearing from my kids, mailing them a care package of masks. It’s a pretty simple life.

Mother’s Day will be a virtual dinner together this year. First year not having my now adult kids physically with me makes me sad, but we are all healthy, so I’ll take what I get.

I look forward to the rain stopping and some sun peeking through, going out for walks, not having to wear a coat, getting my wash started, talking to my siblings and extended family, occasionally getting in touch with friends, I’m tired, so I look forward to later reading some and falling asleep.

I think your mood will improve and when it does, you can look forward to and live for that relief and you will be able to once again enjoy your life.

Take care of yourself ! I admire you. You are fine being you, just as you are, and you are special.

❤️ Virtual hugs.

[Starrlight in reply to Poodie]

Omg you have touched my heart. Thank you for being you. Hugs backatchya my friend. Yeah I think I’m worn out but mostly from my own thoughts. I just had a therapy phone session. I feel a bit lighter and will try looking forward to sunnier warm happier peaceful times. Blessings to you! ❤️

[Hidden]

I used to enjoy doing yoga, but ever since my diagnosis of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), doing yoga has become something like this: hold pose going on 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 sec... shut up legs, shut up legs, can't you act normal legs? So I gave up. I enjoy cardio class now (and so do my legs).

I'm glad you're keeping busy with the kids! That has to bring some joy to you, or? You say you worry a lot. Is this what prevents you from enjoying yourself? If so, I totally get it! I've always been a worrier. My parents told me that when I was in 7th grade I was already worrying about college!

Have you heard of the New Harbinger Self-Help Workbooks? I'm currently going through the one entitled "The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Anxiety". The tools are very powerful!

Norway's a beautiful place to live! It's so much more laid back than our hometown of Houston, Texas! We get a culture shock every time we go back to visit! My husband's job brought us here 7 years ago. We don't know when we will return home, but we aren't going to worry about that now (says a young woman who worries about everything...).

[Starrlight in reply to Hidden]

That’s great you like the cardio class. I think I have RLS too but it only affects me at night when I try to sleep.

No I have not heard of those workbooks but had been doing a tiny bit of a creative visualization workbook and trying to concentrate enough to read a book on happiness.

Norway is laid back , huh, that sounds very nice!

[Hidden in reply to Starrlight]

I guess a slower pace of life would be a better description. I've never heard of a creative visualization workbook, but it sounds like something I'd enjoy! I've always been told to have a safe and peaceful place to go in my mind. Is it kind of like that?

Chat more tomorrow; time to try sleeping (RLS is considered a sleep disorder because it is at its worst at night).

[Starrlight in reply to Hidden]

It’s creating first in the imagination anything you want to do, feel, accomplish and you do things like draw a picture of what your wish looks like, them look at it every day...that kind of a thing... the book is by Gawain The Creative visualization workbook and there is also a plain book on it.

What do you do to help RLS ?

[Hidden in reply to Starrlight]

Hello again! Thanks for the description and the author.

For my RLS I take medicine and use compression stockings, heated massage, etc. I can pm you if you want more tips. There is a HU community for RLS that I'm part of as well.

[Starrlight in reply to Hidden]

Hello again! That’s ok I don’t think I am at the point of needing to do much about it. It sometimes happens but doesn’t last and I can usually still eventually get to sleep.

[Ddorne]

Hi Starrlight, When I’m depressed and confused I like to recite beautiful prayers. My family is something I live for. Music is another.

Liti

[Starrlight in reply to Ddorne]

Beautiful Liti! I love it 🥰

[Beevee]

Don’t fight it Starrlight ♥️

To be free from anxiety, you have to feel it and let it be there and not try to make yourself think or feel differently. The more you do nothing about all those negative thoughts and feelings, the more you will recover.

Don’t strive for positive thoughts. That’s really hard when your head is full of anxious thoughts and my guess is that any positive thoughts you do find will feel hollow and unattainable (blighted by anxiety). For example, I would even have anxious thoughts about good times, from the past.

Positivity will return all by itself, along with confidence and all that goes with that, including the occasional spring in your step and moments of excitement, when you stop searching for all that.

As you probably know (because I keep saying it 😘) it is our constant battle to escape from anxiety that keeps us trapped. The mind and body will find their own way back to peacefulness when you give up the struggle, develop a “couldn’t care less” attitude towards the symptoms, stop fighting them and longing for return to normality. It will come.

Best wishes ♥️

[Starrlight in reply to Beevee]

I love this little and amazing lesson you are teaching. Makes sense. I’ll try. Thanks 🙏 😊 wise Beevee! Blessings to you ❤️

[Beevee in reply to Starrlight]

Thank you Starrlight.

Imagine yourself letting your shoulders drop, breathing out a sigh and surrendering yourself to all of it. If you drive, I suppose it’s like getting stuck in a traffic jam, being annoyed but then realising that there is nothing you can do about it so you sit back and wait patiently.

[Starrlight in reply to Beevee]

Okay thanks im now surrendering since I’m tired out 😊 well sometimes I can do something like run anxiety off or meditate it down some. I have been practicing patience but I’m not yet good at it.

[Beevee]

You’ll get there.

[Starrlight in reply to Beevee]

Thank you I hope and pray so!

[Rachel2535]

Great post. Here are some of the things I live for....my husband, my kids, my faith in Jesus, people who God sends my way to help, the beauty of this world, the sunsets, humming birds, smiles, laughs, love, music, singing....ok I will stop there. There is so much to live for. I didn’t always think that way though. I didn’t see beauty for 25 years until God healed my depression. So don’t give up keep pushing through. -Rachel

[Starrlight in reply to Rachel2535]

Beautiful! I’m happy for you. That’s awesome that you are healed of depression. With anxiety and depression I notice it’s hard to see past it; hard to feel grateful,... everything becomes tainted. I do see glimpses of time without depression and less anxiety luckily or else I’d have no hope. I’ve been praying more lately and I wish I was more confident that it’s possible to heal. Any tips are welcome!

[Careyon]

Sunshine

Family

Friends

Dog

Beauty in nature

Walking / bike ride / running

Music

Beaches

Prayer

There are so many great things around us. I know it’s hard to see them sometimes. May God give you eyes to see and feel the good things in this life.

[Starrlight in reply to Careyon]

❤️

[sponge42]

Favorite things to live for are love, family, yourself, God, and helping others that face similar challenges. You are stronger than what you think you are during these hard and dark times. Each moment of the day and sometimes each minute day by day is to breathe, pray, and being hopeful and positive that you will get through it. Talking about it with a trusted individual is so critical as well. Call them, it is free, they have helped me- 855-382-5433. I pray that you continue to seek help, know how important and special you are, and know people love you!

[Starrlight in reply to sponge42]

Thanks 🙏 😊 how beautiful

[Ubud2021]

Some of my favorite things to live for are my amazing kitty, the smell after the rain, walking into a coffee shop and getting the fresh aroma from the coffee beans, for days when I am actually full of gratitude and genuinely happy, the feeling of being surrounded by nature, splashing into a nice cool pool on a very hot summers day, going on vacations/traveling, being able to have a nice long genuine laugh, and for the days that I feel like I am free and unstoppable.

[Starrlight in reply to Ubud2021]

Those are amazing, Hecate! ❤️