Thankfulness + Mindfulness = Dynamic Duo for Depression: Part Three

I am thankful for chickadees. It was on my list of 99 Reasons to be Thankful. But just putting chickadees on my list doesn't give me a depression getaway benefit.

 Thinking about those dear little birds and why I like them so much, now that is a benefit. If I want to take my thankfulness for chickadees to the next level it might look like this:


Chickadees have to be one of God's cutest little birds. Their size alone is endearing, small and round. Their coloring gives them such personality, distinct from all other birds. They are real 'characters' in the bird world. They seem almost human with the way their 'face' is framed by their coloring. They stay around all year which is a bonus when you live in Canada. They often hang around in groups, and so their dearness is multiplied! They are harmless and gentle and soothing to watch. Even their sound is endearing.

 Now that was a depression getaway for me. I chose something I delight in and thought about it for more than a second. That is mindfulness. 

 Some might say that you have to meditate in order to really get full benefit from being mindful but I decided to keep it simple. 

 Am I making my point, sort of? My point is this, it is not enough to just be thankful. If you want your thankfulness to really minister to your heart and your mind, it helps to be thankful in detail, or to be mindful.
This is just a small little side trip into the world of mindfulness. There are lots of websites and good books out there if you are interested.

 WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Have you heard about mindfulness before this? Is it something you might want to explore further?

 Don't give up! There is hope for depression.


Popular posts from this blog

My Little Helper

Image
  My Little Helper Casey Writes a Book! I am writing another book! This time it is a Christian devotional and I am looking forward to sharing it with you when I am done. In the meantime, just for fun, I googled 'yorkie writing a book' and this is the picture that came up. It's a beautiful picture, isn't it? Actually looks like a painting to me, what do you think? Anyways, that reminded me of how much you can find on the internet just with a few words to google. It's amazing, isn't it? And that got me thinking about how much information I have found over the years about depression that has helped me.
Read more

Joy and Sorrow - Together?

Image
  Joy and Sorrow - At the Same Time? Have you ever experienced joy in the middle of sorrow? I have. My father died suddenly at the age of 59. I remember the moment. I was at his funeral, sitting in the front pew holding my mother's right hand with my sister on the other side holding her left hand. The three of us were drenched with tears. The big church was packed. But despite my sorrow I was filled with joy at the life my dad had lived, at the lives he had impacted in a good way, and at the thankfulness I felt for having him all those years.
Read more