Living a Good Life With Depression

This week, I want to extend a big thank you to my dear mom for sharing her long and difficult journey with depression. Over the years, she ended up in hospital twice, but she made it through and managed to build a life of real quality. You can read my interview with her here.

In combination with suitable medication and an open attitude about depression, my mom uses lifestyle design to maximize her quality of life:

• She walks 5 km almost every day and does regular yoga.
• She follows a morning routine to get every day off to a good start.
• She prioritizes personal relationships, especially with her family.
• She enjoys healthy pleasures like nature, reading, and music.
• She maintains a healthy diet and minimizes refined sugar.

Here is her advice to anyone struggling with depression:

Do not carry it alone. Seek help. Take responsibility. Look after yourself. If you cannot love yourself, at least respect yourself and treat yourself like a good friend, not as an enemy you try to bring down all the time. You deserve the best.

If you live with depression (or know someone who does), I hope my mom’s story can help. Like my own experiences with stuttering and cancer, a positive response to depression has the potential to greatly enhance your life.

Have an HHWPS weekend!

Schalk

PS: Due to some important new projects in my “real job,” I need to slow down from my weekly posting schedule to avoid serious overwhelm. I’ll try to continue posting a quality article at least once per month.