JOY RESTORED.

Depression Toolkit

So many of us are suffering from depression and we don’t even know it. Unfortunately, in my household D E P R E S S I O N wasn’t a common topic of discussion. We all just went about our daily lives avoiding things that I now know should have been poured into. It wasn’t until 32 years into this journey of life that I realized I suffered from this mental health disorder. All of these symptoms have existed majority of my life – and in 2016 I wanted to know what the hell was happening to me as I kept spiraling down rabbit holes of deep dark days that turned into months upon months of me feeling dead inside [i will share more about my story soon]. Of course thanks to ‘Google’ I was able to diagnose myself and while I still was in the weeds of a very bad season of my life – I somehow felt a little peace knowing that what I was experiencing had a name and even more so that there were several steps I could take to help me internally.

When I experienced moments of depression in my life, I started to tap into the INperience below to help Restore my Joy! Self-care is important, but it wasn’t about Spa Days, Manis, and Pedis – it was about going within and pouring into my souls’ senses. So, here is an INperience for you to try as you cope with depression.

How to Restore Your Joy?

1.    Grab a journal and let’s get to work!

2.    List all 5 of your senses [See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch] in column form.

3.    Now think about things that bring you JOY when you tap into each individual sense and jot down that INperience.

a.    What do you like to SEE?

b.    What do you like to HEAR?

c.     What do you like to SMELL?

d.    What do you like to TASTE?

e.    What do you like to TOUCH?

4.    Now that we have identified things that bring you JOY – plan out your week to include at least one INperience from each of the 5 senses. review the example below and download your blank worksheet!

joy restored | depression toolkit | worksheet - download your worksheet!

 

5.    Put your list into ACTION to help Restore your inner JOY!

a.    Example: Based on the schedule above on Friday I will stop by my grandmother’s house and give her a big hug [TOUCH] and then head to the Botanical Gardens to [SEE] lovely butterflies.  On my way home I will listen [HEAR] to one of my favorite bands, Moonchild, with the window down as breathe [SMELL] in the fresh air. Lastly, for dinner, I will treat myself to some vegan tacos [TASTE] and a nice Netflix movie.

Note: Seven days may seem a bit extreme especially in the beginning – so be sure to give yourself some grace. Go easy on yourself and try to accomplish one days’ worth of tapping into your senses to Restore your Joy! Ideally, you’d want to work up to doing this every day as it should assist in helping you progress towards an overall positive mood.

Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert and am only sharing tips that have helped me during my journey throughout life. Please seek professional medical help if you or someone you know are experiencing depression or any other mental health illnesses. Contact a health care professional with any questions or concerns about your specific health care needs. please refer to the list below for some helpful resources.

mental health matters | here are some helpful resources

therapists

General mental well-being

Mental health concerns

Suicide

MENTAL HEALTHmz April LynneMENTAL HEALTH, DEPRESSION, ANXIETYComment