How do you stay positive?

[historian]

After nearly dying a couple of times with various organs failing including my brain,

That explains why you are here...

 

[indiucky]

I'm looking for ideas on how to stay positive on a day to day basis..like when you get run down, what gives you hope for the future?

The love of my Savior, a cigarette, and a tall glass of bourbon on the rocks............

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

That explains why you are here...

Well, I was here before that. Hey, that reminds me, I was looking for my trichloromethane. I'm gonna shut up before the thread wanders. Any farther.

 

[Super Bee]

Two things. . . . My wife. Of course it took three times down the isle to find the right one, but she is a keeper. She is always there to help me off the ledge and I am grateful everyday she said yes.

And prayer.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

At the very least, you can be thankful the you don't start each day thinking, "Wow, I get to stuff another dead hooker in the crawl space!"

On a more serious note; I too suffered from serious anxiety and depression when I was younger. I remember seeing life in boring shades of black, white and gray. Food tasted bland, life sucked and the only thing I looked forward to was dying. That was from the time I was 6-7 years old until my late twenties.

Three things happened that changed that. One, in high school, I asked Christ to be my Saviour and became a Christian. That started me on the path away from an abusive childhood and finding myself giving Grace and Forgiveness to my family.

Two, when I was in my early twenties, I started seeing a Christian counsellor and worked through all the unhealthy thoughts, feelings and behaviours that I had learned growing up. My counsellor strongly encouraged me to learn as much as i could about various therapy concepts. That gave me more tools in my toolbox, to counter the negative stuff that I carried within myself.

Three, at the end of four years of counselling, I had worked through 90% of my issues, but still felt greatly depressed. I was then sent to a Dr. who prescribed an SSRI anti-depressant, (new at the time). Within three days, I started seeing colors, food tasted good and I had a baseline for normal highs and lows. That was a huge change for me. I went off the antidepressants after a few months and have continued to use the techniques i learned in counseling to stay emotionally and mentally healthy. Some days are hard, but never as hard as when I was an emotional/behavioral trainwreck in my teens.

 

[SchwansManDan]

I'm looking for ideas on how to stay positive on a day to day basis..like when you get run down, what gives you hope for the future?

Schadenfreude .. basically, feeling better when I see the troubles of other people. All I have to do is turn on The People's Court, Judge Judy, Jerry Springer, etc. I can also look around my own family (especially at my oldest brother ... with FOUR ex-wives).

Suddenly, my life looks pretty dadgum good.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

When your going through hell , keep moving , don't stop to rest .

 

[bluewraith]

When I'm down I like to think about space and the sheer vastness of it. How much we think we know.. it's infinitely less that what is left out there. Kinda makes the problems of today seem petty.

 

[bulletsmith]

Thanks evil......now that tune is on a loop in my already somewhat demented tiny mind.......

I was watching to see if anybody got the reference...

They're coming to take me away he he....

 

[CindyE]

Some of us are genetically wired to be more anxious and/or depressed. It's a struggle lots of days, but even harder when surrounded by negative people, drama and stressful events. Sometimes being outdoors, walking my dogs, going to the range, etc, can help. I like to read, too.