This may seem obvious, but lots of people are having a hard time getting out of the past or the future....actually most people are in some sense living in the past or the future. We can even call this an illusion in a way.
In the previous post we talked about how the past can help us improve depression. This is true, but with one purpose only- to realize and fix your misperception. Of course to add you can also praise your past success for future strength, but the most important is to manage your negative emotions. Set a goal
Overcoming depression is not an overnight thing nor it is the matter of just snapping out of it. Just like any other goals in life, it will take some effort. It is really important to set objectives and to take many small steps to realize a bigger goal.
Start with the smallest, but problematic emotions to give yourself a nice easy start. For example, you might want to at least give your family members a nice smile in the morning (or at least a hi). Give your long lost hobby some attention it deserves and try to make a small achievement. Better yet, set a goal that you will get over depression no matter what. These goals will give you a kind of mission you must complete and will keep you focused on the present. At first you may feel nothing but overtime you should feel a sense of satisfaction as you proceed. You may get side tracked at times, but this is also the part of the challenge.
Reflect Daily
What did you do today? How did it go? Did you have a good day? How did you feel in different situations? what did I misperceive?
Ask questions like these to yourself and measure your improvement and challenges. This will give you a better picture of where you are and will give you a realistic idea of how you are making progress. This will also give you confidence that you are following through will your plans.
Next section will be on the Future....
