Feeling Blue?

We often say that we are down or depressed, but how many of us actually know the clinical symptoms of depression? The most common psychological disorder reported by GP's is depression. In order to be diagnosed with depression an individual must report most of the following symptoms over a two week period:

• · feeling sad most of the time
• · lost interest in most of your usual activities
• · lost or gained weight
• · felt excessively guilty
• · sleep disturbance
• · felt worthless
• · had poor concentration
• · were very indecisive

Looking at the list above, I think many people may have experienced these symptoms at one time or another, including myself. There is no one single cause of depression and consequently there is no one quick fix either. If you think you may be depressed please seek help, early intervention ensures that you will get the support you need. Be honest about how you are feeling, as keeping things to yourself or pretending everything is fine will only aggravate the illness further.. You deserve to live a life of calm,  peace and purpose. As a coaching psychologist I have seen many clients struggle with depression and it skews their judgement, robs them of their creativity, plants seeds of doubt that manifest and fester.

When someone is experiencing depression it is like they are shrouded in a veil which prevents them from seeing things logically or clearly. They may make poor decisions or indeed feel immobilised to make any decisions. Depression can be misunderstood and people can feel that the individual suffering from depression is doing it for attention, or trying to be difficult, they are not. They are genuinely struggling with their emotions and no doubt finding it increasingly difficult to do their job effectively whether in work or at home.

Take action instead of denying how you are feeling if you are depressed, rest assured that many people have experienced depression, including well known celebrities like Jim Carey, Larry King, Marion Keyes, Jessica Rowe and Britney Spears. It is not a life long illness and with support and taking positive steps depression can be managed successfully.

The following link is for a quick depression self test. The site also offers a wealth of information, factsheets and support.

http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/depression/howtotell/selftesting.cfm

A Quick Read About Feeling & Being Happier

10 Steps Toward Feeling Happier


An interesting article by psychotherapist Linda Laffey

1. Make the decision to be happy

Life will continue to challenge all of us with its bumps in the road some big, some small. It is your attitude and how you choose to negotiate those bumps that determine how you feel. Adopting an attitude of appreciation for everything you have, and recognizing that you always have a choice about how to respond to external circumstances can contribute significantly to feeling happier.

2. Cultivate a sense of connection

Examine the relationships in your life? at home, at work, and socially. Do you feel connected to the people in your life in a healthy and satisfying way? Do you feel connected to yourself? Through reading, taking a class, meditation, spiritual exploration, therapy, and communicating with others, you can deepen your sense of connection and well-being.


3. Focus on forgiveness of yourself and others
This can be very challenging at times; especially when you feel someone has done something that seems unforgivable. The forgiveness, however, is for you, not for them. It frees your mental and emotional energy to blissfully go forward in your life. There is a saying: 'Holding onto resentment is like letting someone else live rent-free in your head.'

4. Set short-term and long-term goals for making your dreams a reality

Goal-setting gives you something to look forward to, something to work toward, and creates structure in your day-to-day life. As each step along the way is completed, you experience a sense of pride and accomplishment.


5. Find fulfilling work
Having an occupation that you enjoy and has meaning for you gives you a sense of purpose and can be deeply satisfying. If the work you are currently involved in falls short of this criteria, you may want to look at the possibilities for making a change at some point. If changing jobs is not practical, perhaps you could find a volunteer position or hobby that would meet the same criteria.


6. Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually
The health of your body enormously impacts happiness. Proper nutrition, regular sleep, and daily exercise that you find enjoyable are essential. Stress reduction through conscious schedule planning, breathing exercises, and meditation can make a tremendous difference. If you already have a spiritual practice or affiliation, seek to deepen it. If you don?t have one, you may want to explore those that interest you to find one that fits for you. Remembering your spirit, feeding, nurturing, and satisfying your soul can greatly increase your feeling of happiness.

7. Be honest with yourself and others
Congruence is the agreement between who you are, what you think and say you want, and your actions. As you become more connected with yourself, your goals, and your self-care improves, chances are you will find it increasingly easier to be genuine and authentic with others. When you really know who you are, what you want, and you are being true to yourself with actions that match, your happiness quotient will go up dramatically.


8. Be open to learning, growing and creating.

Continually expanding your mind through learning can increase your sense of self-confidence. Minds are kept young and sharp by continual use, and mentally active people live longer. Learning is as important to your brain as exercise is to your body. The more you learn, the more aspects of life you can be aware of, appreciate, and enjoy.

9. Manage your money wisely

If you are not already doing so, you can improve your money management by disciplining yourself to save money, keeping expenses low, evaluating your budget regularly, and using extra caution to consider expenses involved prior to starting a family, buying a home or making other large purchases. The old saying, ‘Money can’t buy happiness’ is not entirely true. We need money to pay for food, housing, transportation, and all other necessities for survival and comfort. Financial security is defined as the point at which a person has enough savings or regular income to support a comfortable lifestyle. ‘Comfortable’ means different things to different people. There are two ways to experience being rich: To have great wealth or to be content with what you already have. Once the basics of survival and reasonable comfort have been satisfied, your attitude regarding money becomes much more important than the size of your financial portfolio. Those who know how to use money well in the promotion of happiness are way ahead of those who think they need more.


10. Step out of your comfort zone in the pursuit of pleasure
Most of us tend to become creatures of habit. We eat the foods we like over and over, watch the same television shows week after week, frequent the same restaurants and theatres, and even choose the same vacation spots each year. What we once loved becomes comfortable, familiar, and eventually boring. If you feel stuck in a rut, make a conscious effort to add variety to your life. Try a new restaurant, plan a new and adventurous vacation, visit a museum you’ve never been to, or sign up for that dance class you’ve been thinking about taking. The possibilities are endless, and so are the rewards.

What is the best version of yourself?

When you are being the best version of yourself, what does your life look like?

When you are being the least liked version of yourself, what does your life look like?

What springs to mind? Write it down quickly without thinking to much about it. You may be surprised by your answers. Interestingly, when we are being the best version of ourselves other parts of our lives seem to follow suit. For example, managing household chores, our wellbeing, our work all seem to have a certain ease and grace which enables us to complete tasks effortlessly.

Thinking about the worst version of yourself helps you get perspective about areas of your life that are not working. This version of yourself no doubt limits you in so many ways and makes you unhappy and unmotivated. Therefore, if you know how good being the best version of yourself feels, why would you want to live your life any other way? The benefits of being the best version of yourself are endless and you deserve those benefits. You are worthy of great things.

If completing this little exercise has made you aware that you are not being the best version of yourself, then don't despair just start to make incremental changes towards your best self. Believe me if will eagerly repay you and help you along the way. Start by doing something small today towards regaining the best version of yourself. The key to regaining your best self is not to get overwhelmed, just take it slow and make tiny little changes daily. The changes that are required are different for everyone and you have an inner knowing as to what those changes should be.

Here's to the best version of you!

Seven Ways to Create More and Consume Less

Being more creative in our everyday lives is easier then you think. Consuming less can help free us from the pressures that we often surround ourselves with. Here are seven practical ways to help you create more of what you want in your life, whilst consuming less.

1. Pay More, Eat Less
Where possible try to eat organic food, which tends to be more expensive, but on the whole is likely to have fewer toxins and often tastes superior. The quantity and quality of the food we consume has a huge impact on how well our minds and bodies can perform. With obesity levels and type II diabetes on the rise, it is more important than ever to limit the amount of processed food we consume.

2. Resist the Temptation to go to the Mall
Think about the last time you went to the mall. How did you feel while you were there and afterwards, energized, bored, frustrated? Did you need or even really want the things that you bought? We may wonder around aimlessly, but we are still actively processing on a subconscious level the bombardment of promotions that are around every corner. Next time you feel the urge to go to mall, be honest about what may be really going on. Once you begin to recognize the triggers of your consumption, you can begin to diminish its hold on you.

3. Don’t Buy Glossy Magazines
Be selective about what you read. As the song ‘Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen’ by Baz Luhrmann goes “Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly”. Reading magazines exposes us to a whole host of advertising that permeates through us and often influences the purchases we make. Low self esteem in adolescents has also been linked to reading glossy magazines. So ditch the magazines and read some inspirational, uplifting stories or biographies instead.

4. Turn Off The Television
We often don’t realize how television eats away at our time. For a week, try and keep a log of how often you watch television and how it makes you feel. At the end of the week reflect on how many hours you watch television and think about what you could achieve if you watched it less. Try to restrict the amount of television you watch and instead play a board game or just talk without any distractions.

5. Volunteer
Get involved in something that you feel passionate about, be it on a local, national or international level. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to meet like-minded people and appreciate the many gifts you have to offer. It is also a great way to explore a new career and gain new skills.

6. Exercise
Choose an exercise or team sport which you genuinely enjoy and you will be more likely to keep it up. If you would like to get fit, start with small achievable goals, such as being able to walk up the stairs without becoming breathless and then aim for bigger more challenging ones such as competing in a race. Besides the myriad of health benefits that regular exercise bestows upon us, it has also been found that after prolonged aerobic exercise creative thinking also improves

7. Love Your Job
If you love what you do for a living, you are likely to find your job rewarding, enjoyable and intellectually stimulating. However, if you are unhappy in your work, it is probable that you consume more in order to bury your discontentment. What facets of your job do you really enjoy? Are there ways that you could do more of what you like on a more regular basis? Often the things we like doing are also the things that we are naturally good at, so get creative and think about what you love about your work.