A dear friend just posted this and I had to share. The holidays are hard for so many of us. <3
Shower. Not a bath, a shower. Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. Sit on the floor if you gotta.
Moisturize everything. Use whatever lotion you like. Unscented? Dollar store lotion? Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell yummy? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.
Put on clean, comfortable clothes. It doesn't matter what they look like, but how they feel. OR, dress up! It doesn't matter who will see you, but how you feel in them.
Put on your favorite underwear. Those ridiculous boxers you bought last Christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? Put them on.
Drink lots of water. Cold or hot, it matters not! If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.
Clean something. Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink. Pick up 10 things and put them away.
Blast music. Listen to something upbeat. Blast something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both but no one is watching so just have fun.
Make food. Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. Take the time and make food. Even if it’s ramen. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Preparing your own food, it tastes better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.
Make something. Write a short story or a poem, draw or color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.
Go outside. Take a walk. Sit in the grass. Look at the clouds. Smell flowers. Play in the snow. Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin. Make a snow angel or go sledding. I like to throw snowballs.🤣🤣
Call someone. Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text, email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps.
Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them. Borrow an occasional dog or cat to play with by visiting a friend or local rescue. Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.
May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive.
*** At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on.
*** In case nobody has told you today you are loved and you are worth your weight and then some in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!!! YOU MATTER!
Find something to be grateful for!
Dial 988 ~ National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Try two. Any two.
xx
Being clean is an important accomplishment when you feel so depressed. It is still helpful to try and do the normal routines. Eventually, some relief will kick in. Trust me, I have been in that dark, can't be bothered to shower place for days (okay, it may have been a week ;-)). I found that forcing myself to shower, wash my hair, dress, put on makeup, etc. was a chore - but I did feel Infinitesimally better. And each time, better still. Sending you best wishes and hopes for a better New Year. Hang in there.
Is it depression or not?
Calling all depressed people!
