Don't Fear Adversity to Make Depression Easier

Today marks one year since our school lost a junior to suicide. That same month we lost another to suicide, and so did the school closest to ours. Tonight on the news I heard another local high school has had three suicides this past week. Someone asked me, what makes people feel that this is the answer? There can be many reasons but most common is the feeling of overwhelm, of dread, of powerlessness. As if there is no other option than escape. Similarly some citizens here in the states have suggested seceding from the union because they they are unhappy with our recent election. In some ways this could also be a flight response. (Not trying to start a political discussion, just noting people's fear.) As parents, one of the best things we could teach our children is resilience. To not fear adversity, but to buckle down in hard times and find ways to make it better.

You Too Can Be A Hero

The people this world emulates as heroes have rarely been those who have given up or walked away. Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr... These people faced hardship and opposition and giant mountains but did not give up. Doing the right thing is rarely ever the easy thing. Taking the high road. Finding hope when there seems to be none. Holding on even when you are tired and don't think you can go one more step, but you keep moving anyway... These are the traits of heroes and survivors.

You can do this. See it. Believe it. Blind Faith, in you or God or the Earth or the Universe... Blind faith is the act of pushing forward toward something you can't see but you believe is there. The answers are not clear, and yet hindsight is 20/20. So many times we think we'll never make it and yet when we do, we look back and say whew! I did it!

You've Got This!

Keep track of the hard stuff you make it through. Don't list the failures or the disappointments. Note the things you convinced yourself you'd never survive, and yet you did. Don't underestimate yourself. Instead of being your worst enemy, be your biggest cheerleader. Imagine yourself on the other side of that seemingly insurmountable mountain and push through. The dread of the act is worse than the act itself. Be your own counselor in your head... Cheer yourself on. Pick yourself up, you've got it. You have survived hard stuff before and you will again. You are a rock star!