I have enjoyed writing monthly about the topics that have come to me through clients, friends and family. Although this is not a happy topic, I feel encouraged to talk about it in this month’s article; the subject of depression.

It has been a common theme amongst the people who are surrounding me lately and I wanted to take this time to write about the subject and hopefully offer some means of starting to help clear this out of one’s life.

Depression can be a state of mind, but it can also affect the physical, spiritual and emotional bodies. It can cause lack of emotion or passion, stripping us of drive or energy and leaving us feeling that we no longer have control or cannot see the way out of any current situation. It in a nutshell, brings us to our knees.

So how do we overcome it? I cannot say from experience that it is easy and that it is a walk in the park, but I can say that it can be done. The first stage of dealing with depression is to recognize that you are indeed depressed. This is a hard thing to do, especially with the current state of most people’s lives, trying to accommodate families, jobs, money, home life and relationships. It can keep us in a state of constant activity without our stopping to really register how we in fact, feel.

My first piece of advice is to stop, take five minutes. Be in those five minutes and ask yourself how you are feeling. This clears the state of any denial and allows you to be mindful and in the moment. If you are recognizing depression, then it is time to move on to the next stage.

I find when trying to clear out depression, the advantage is action. Taking a positive action with a positive result can change a state or frame of mind or emotion. What do you love to do? Don’t think of something that brings you a small amount of happiness, but something you truly enjoy doing. It gives you peace, makes you happy, gives you purpose. For me, it has always been reading.

I personally find great joy in sitting down with a good book. This is what has helped me stay off the path of a mental funk or depression. It helps me to unwind and find focus. I find that sometimes reading and seeing in the fiction sense of things, how someone overcomes strife, grief, anger, sadness and lack of control; I can find the courage to do so myself.

I want to offer this piece of advice to anyone who is out there suffering at this point in time. You are not alone. Do you hear me? YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There is someone who cares. I do. We all do. It is time to live the life you dream of. It is time to fight for the things that you want most. You can do it. You can have it.

Remember that in the path of life we appreciate what we have fought the most for. That life is always changing. You may be down for the moment, but this too shall pass. Stay strong, stay happy and find faith, because I have faith in all of you. Hoping this helps. Much love and light being sent your way!

-Courtney Overfield