Depression Getaway with Wendy Love

We all know this guy, Angry Andrew. He is the second 'Depression Go-Away' character I am introducing to you. Of course Angry Andrew is no stranger to anyone who lives with depression. Anger is a huge component in depression and one which cannot be ignored, or entertained for too long.

I have saved the best for last. The best what? The best form of self-expression for depression - writing!  Is it the best because I love writing? No it is the best because it is so essential for dealing with the racing thoughts that accompany any form of mental illness. This is the last post about self-expression for awhile. Now if you don't like writing, don't stop here. Let me tell you of its benefits.

I went to see my five year old granddaughter have her swimming lesson at the Y recently. She loves it! She can't wipe the smile off of her face. If you have children, you have seen that SWIM GRIN! I saw all sorts of other people, all shapes and sizes and ages, expressing themselves through exercise at the Y. It is such a positive, almost calming experience to be able to move those body parts that work. It is a gift, not a chore. Self-expression is good for depression and exercise is a form of self-expression.

When you think of self-expression, do you think of it as a passive or an active activity? When you think of studying, do you think of it as a passive or active activity? Just asking..... I am sure some people might not think of study as a form of self-expression but I do. When I choose to study something, and I enjoy the process, I find things that interest ME or help ME or enlighten ME in a way that is so productive, so building. Studying something that interests me is a great depression getaway too.

Teaching someone else how to do something that you already know how to do is another great way of expressing yourself. I remember a time long ago, in 1978,  when I was pregnant with my second child. A friend named Sylvia had lost her mother to cancer that year. I was experiencing a few complications with my pregnancy and had been told to take it easy. We decided to spend some time together and she chose to use that time teaching me to make bread the way her mother did. What fun we had! And it started me on a weekly routine of making my own bread which I in turn taught to my dad.

Have you noticed there was a trend for awhile in movies, to have stories about cooking and eating? There have been some good ones! Have you seen any of them? Julie and Julia Eat, Pray, Love Chocolat Waitress The Perfect Man The picture I have at the top is from 'The Perfect Man'. Movies like this can really make you want to cook or bake something. And since it has a happy ending it can be a good depression getaway at the same time. From the choosing, to the shopping, to the creating and then the eating, cooking can be a great way to express yourself! If you need to get inspired, why not get one of these movies and prepare to let your mouth water! Have you ever baked bread from scratch? It's fun, and it smells so good when it is cooking. And of course there is nothing just like the taste and smell of freshly baked bread. Years ago when I was a school teacher, one of my fellow teachers Melda had a 'bake away the winter blues' party. We all brough...

Have you read the book or seen the movie? It has some good stuff in it. Here is my favorite quote from the book:  “There’s a crack in everyone…that’s how the light of God gets in.” As we continue in our series on self-expression, I was reminded of this poignant story of a woman on the search for happiness. She was truly looking for new ways to express herself! That is what we are doing too.

Oh I know, I am getting a little carried away with this picture of a dancer, but I just couldn't resist. Yes, she is probably more concerned with her form and accuracy than with the kind of dancing I am talking about. I am talking about dancing just for the sake of dancing. Dancing just to feel different , be more free , more fun , feel younger . Dancing to change my point of view , even for a moment. We are talking about dancing as a form of self-expression . But is dancing really that therapeutic? Well, you be the judge.

Oh I do hope you are taking me up on 'The Self-Expression Challenge" . As I continue in this series which is promoting the idea that self-expression can be helpful for dealing with depression, I would like to chat about dancing and its therapeutic benefits. I gave you a good list of different forms of self-expression. We have tackled prayer and coloring so far. Did anyone try prayer? And how about coloring , how is that going? Now, I don't want you to quit coloring and start dancing instead, but I DO want you to start dancing . Maybe add dancing to the colouring? Or like the little guy in this picture, dance whether anyone is watching or not. Look at the joy on his face! Of course he is young and carefree but still, maybe a little dancing might make us young and carefree again? Next time I will ask you how that felt, and then share some of the amazing therapeutic benefits of dance. WHAT ABOUT YOU?  How are you feeling today? So, my self-expression challenge ...

Do you remember getting lost in your coloring book as a child? Do you remember how industrious you became to get the job done? Do you remember the fun of picking your own colors? Do you remember the smell of a box of crayons? Do you remember the joy of using brand new crayons? If you have taken me up on The Self-Expression Challenge then you remembered all of those things yesterday, because you followed my instructions and went out and bought yourself a new coloring book and a new box of crayons!

We have been discussing self-expression and the benefits it has for depression . For the last few posts, I have even chosen prayer as a form of self-expression. Would you ever have thought that prayer was a way of expressing ourselves? I chose prayer because it is something that is important to me and I have found it a wonderful way to express myself. Besides, I really do believe there is a God, that he loves me and he died for me and he answers prayer!

Prayer is one of the simplest yet most powerful form of self-expression. Today I would like to share a favourite story from "Streams in the Desert, Book 2" entry date May 12. The story is told of a shabby old gentleman who every day at twelve o'clock would enter the church, stay a few minutes, then leave. The caretaker was concerned for the valuable altar furnishings. Every day he watched to be sure nothing was taken, and every day just at twelve the shabby figure would arrive. One day the caretaker accosted him. "Look here, my friend, what are you up to, going into the church every day?""I go to pray" replied the old man politely. "Now come", the cautious caretaker said, "you don't stay long enough to pray." "True enough. I cannot pray a long prayer, but every day I just comes and says 'Jesus, it's Jim'. Then I waits a minute, then comes away. I guess He hears me though it's but a little pray...

At each of my daughters weddings I received the most delightful revelation. At both weddings I was invited to welcome everyone at the reception and then pray before we ate. At each wedding, as I reached the podium and looked at my daughter and her new husband I realized something: "this is the one I have been praying about all of these years!" Let me explain. When I first became a christian I was about thirty years old and my daughters were 3 and 5. I was excited about everything to do with my new found faith. I devoured my bible and read books telling me how other christians led their lives. One christian woman said how she started praying for the spouse of each of her children, while those children were still young. I decided I would do that too! And so I started praying for a little boy I hadn't met yet, but who God had already chosen for each of my girls.

I love to draw floor plans. For me, drawing floor plans for houses is like doodling. One time my husband came home with a huge box of graph paper as a gift because he could see how much pleasure I get from this little hobby I have had since I was a teenager. The interesting thing is that I don't design big fancy houses. They are all fairly practical. But each one solves a little problem here or there. And I imagine how much better one design is compared to another. When I feel overwhelmed with my house, I design a smaller one and I imagine how much easier life would be if I had a smaller house. It is kind of my way of dreaming, my way of expressing myself and my way of having control over something, even if it is only in my imagination.

Self-expression - an underused depression getaway. We are talking about self-expression for improving good mental health. Remember that self-expression doesn't mean becoming great at something, signing up for expensive lessons or going out and buying a bunch of expensive equipment. It could be as simple as doodling, as cheap as walking, or as natural as baking. Now it's time to get practical. Just in case you can't think of any ways to express yourself, here is a list to get you thinking.

Self-expression is not only effective but a super great depression getaway. Here are four benefits of self-expression taken from "Kids and Mental Health". It is actually an article by Lauren Bailey who is a guest blogger on that site. Even though it is written for children, there are great ideas for all of us. Here is the list of benefits.

Have you seen this wonderful ad on TV called 'Express Yourself' ? I remember one of the questions I was asked by my doctor when I was in a deep dark pit of depression. She asked 'what would you like to see happen?' or in other words 'what would you like to change?' On that particularly dark day I couldn't even come up with an answer. I thought 'what was the use of even imagining how things could be better, it's never going to happen anyways.' Have you ever felt like that?