Who inspires you?

[propjock]

When you have no energy left, or you just can’t turn off the nerves, who or what keeps you going? What real-life experience, movie scene, song, words, person, animal, belief gives you just enough strength to go five more minutes?

[Hb2003]

Good question ☺️ the kindness and support that i have given to people has kept me going . I get happy when I do something kind also my brother because i love him so much he brings me so much joy in my day ☺️

[Fruitsofspirit in reply to Hb2003]

Me too. Being here for each other and giving others in couragement to my best in the Lord. Is my only engry.. (please for give my spelling).

[leaningonjesus]

the lord keeps me goingthe fact that he says he has me and has bigger plans for me and pours out his love on every single person if they ask him.

❤️❤️❤️🌼🌼🌼

[despowell in reply to leaningonjesus]

I love this response! That’s the only thing that helps me & keeps me going as well. Even when I feel low & feel like there’s no way out, he always makes a way!

[Fruitsofspirit in reply to leaningonjesus]

💯 agree

[socratesanne]

Thrive on the nervous system and when it is overtired I like to talk to angels, listen to music, dance around and do a fun project, even just making a special meal. Stew today revives my nervous system with cutting the meat and celery and vegetables to go in the stew.

Watching a great movie or even a not so great movie, but one that keeps my interest. Reading a good book and researching for my work revives my spirit and needs that excess energy to keep the momentum going.

What stops me from thriving would be medicine, toxic people or lack of people in my life who have departed but I try, unfortunately, not to think about them. That brings me down fast over the needless loss. Most of the losses have been needless but that makes me want to continuer to thrive. What makes me get out of bed is helping others in my life's work.

When I come on here I try to help but fail each and every time, but at least I see there are people still out there thinking and hoping.

[TangledUpIn in reply to socratesanne]

Yep! People still out here thinking and hoping😙

[Fruitsofspirit in reply to TangledUpIn]

Faith, Hope, Love is all we can have to make it through this world

[propjock in reply to socratesanne]

How do you know you fail each and every time, socratesanne ?

[socratesanne in reply to propjock]

Either no response, but mainly the criticism which is why I do not frequent often as that is counter productive in avoiding toxic people. It has happened more often than I care to admit. Apparently I do not have the knack of being concise as I am only trying to communicate as opposed to monitoring as is probably my deficit. I try to follow but my work takes that time away and usually doing it late at night as my only time for myself.

Try to help when I have something to add as that is what I do for a living and try to give my professional knowledge but then that is not needed on here, so then I avoid offering any advice. I have been a counselor for five decades and never told off as I have been on here. I do not have the knack of pretending I do not have an answer and deferring to advising drugs which is common on here. But then this is how times are changing and that seems to be the answer to a forum that is of the medical persuasion instead of body and mind work for healing, the reason doctors refer patients to me in there first place.

I need to keep my lifetime profession to myself and only stoop to my own needs but then I get no response. Sort of damned either way. I am not skilled at investing in brief responses like folks do so easily since time does not allow these short interchanges like snap chats. It feels like the doctor response I get when I see a primary who rarely explains the real situation and honestly never has.

The only time that occurred was with open heart surgeons when my son was getting heart surgeries and I do know the difference. Those are the doctors I would defer to in a heartbeat. My doc retired as she was like that. Nowadays there is none of what they used to call bedside manner.

[propjock in reply to socratesanne]

Thanks for the thoughtful answer and many observations. I am an experienced amateur with lived experience and am a trained active listener in a supervised volunteer program. This forum is an experiment for me, I think three months in. It is a completely new mode of communication. The need is so great, and I think I have something solid to offer, without getting scorched too badly in the process, so here I am.

[lillyofthevalley37]

Jesus

[JessDann]

Cool post!When I hit that place of nothing left, I just hang on and do the parts of my routine that I can. During my routine, I could feel a breath of relief from:

-a daily meditation I read from “Language of Letting Go”

-calling a friend and just saying something, anything, and they help me feel heard

-something on facebook makes me laugh

-sometimes just going to bed and I feel better enough in the morning to actually do something uplifting

When I can’t turn off the nerves. These help me the most:

- a walk in nature

- smelling something- essential oils, candles

- drinking hot water or tea

- calling a friend/ someone from a support group

- soundscapes (trickling water or birds)

[propjock in reply to JessDann]

“I just do the parts of my routine that I can” reminds me of, “Your training kicks in.” That’s what I hear from people who do emotionally overwhelming work.

I’m never done having a-ha moments.

Do you do these things even when you’re not feeling too bad?

How did you choose them? We’re there things you tried for a while and then let go?

[JessDann in reply to propjock]

That’s a good point! I do it every day regardless of mood. It’s really tempting to slack off when everything feels fine, but having the mental muscle (or neural pathways) built from daily disciplines is a life saver when big depression hits.

I read recommendations from Dr.s or others and try them out for a while- usually in the morning when my motivation is highest. Some stuff falls off, especially if I feel like it’s not doing anything.

Part of a daily routine is as simple as preparing my food, brushing teeth or shower. A little journaling before bed. If my depression is bad, and I can only do some of it- for that day, that’s good.

Almost daily routine stuff is reading affirmations, reading spiritual or uplifting literature.

Having an accountability group or partner to check in the harder daily routine stuff is really powerful.

The more potent daily routine stuff I do is call 3 people per day, every day. I have an accountability partner and other people who have the same commitment- and it’s really helpful. Even if it’s less than 2 min per phone call, sometimes that mini-connection has been enough of a relief to help me have more energy to do something else positive, which gives me a little more energy to do something else positive (an upward spiral, as the Upward Spiral book describes)

3 calls a day was the hardest thing for me to get used to, isolating feels more comfortable, but calling others helps the most.

I realize not everyone would have that kind of support group, but thought I’d mention it.

The other potent thing is exercising (or moving my body) at least 10 min per day, every day. It can be a super easy exercise, but it “has to be done”. 10 min helps me feel like it’s a short enough time that I can/ will do it. In actuality, I start to feel good and last longer than 10 minutes most days. Some days 10 min is more than good enough! Some days (usually about 7 days per month) I don’t exercise at all, but I’m ok with it. That’s pretty good.

[moonerman]

Anything from ‘Two Steps from Hell’ their strap line is Music Makes You Braver

[Fruitsofspirit]

For me I stay as close to the Lord as I can. And this group.

[Fruitsofspirit]

Glad she doing betterMy dogs and sometimes my cat ion till her tail. Lift me up with love and happiness.

[Fruitsofspirit]

I cannot listen to news causing depression worsening. If I don't stay close to the Lord, it's so hard to believe, but it's all in his Bible. Put I don't want anything to do with it.

[Fruitsofspirit]

U need to talk to ur Dr. Hon.