Depression

 Depression

You can't be happy if you are depressed. Even though my life today is void of depression, I spent quite a few years being depressed. Therefore, I know depression and the impact it had on my happiness.

I'm not a doctor, but these are the things, I believe, can cause depression.

* Financial problems. Living paycheck to paycheck makes you feel that you don't have control of your life. Worrying about money, even if you have enough money, leads to depression. My solution is to never get yourself in financial trouble. Sounds simple, but it's not.

Two divorces put me in financial trouble, and I was depressed. What I learned from that experience was that I could live a happy life spending less. I wanted a lot of things, but I needed very few. Sooo, don't put yourself in a position to become depressed because you (or your loved ones) spend on things you don't need.

* Worrying about what's going on in the world today. My solution, focus on the things you have control over not the things you can't control. You can control what you watch in the media. You can control having only positive people in your life. You can control your positive outlook on your life.

* Feeling depressed and not knowing why.  This is a very serious issue. If you haven't gone to your doctor, go NOW. Don't try to fix it yourself. Don't accept it as part of your life. Your doctor may have to try different drugs, but there are ones that will help. I got help and so can you. 

* Surrounding yourself with negative people and a negative environment. My solution is simple but hard to achieve. PUT YOUR SELF IN FIRST POSITION. That means YOU come first even before your spouse, kids, family, friends, and job. Focus on YOUR happiness not their happiness. Make decisions that put you in first position.

I used to believe doing the above was selfish. What I learned was when I got what I wanted, I had so much more energy and love to give to others. Allowing anything outside of yourself to make you unhappy will make you depressed. 

Step up. When someone asks you which restaurant you want to go to, never say: "I don't know, where do you want to go. You should say, "I prefer (prefer rather than

demand) Italian." When your spouse asks which steak you want, tell him/her: "I want the best one." Why the best one, because you deserve the best one.

Please believe me, you can take control of your depression. You probably will have to do things that are unpleasant, but happiness comes at a price.

Depression = Unhappiness. Control = Happiness