I remember looking at the part of my medical form that stated my diagnosis and reading “Depression”. It was October 2003 and I had just buried my husband of almost 17 years the week prior.
I looked right at my doctor and said “Depression huh? Really! My husband had just died. Yep I am depressed!” I also remember him recommending that I take the Xanax he had prescribed and that I also see someone.
I knew I had a long road to recovery ahead of me but something about that “Depression” diagnosis just didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t make sense. I wasn’t clinically depressed. I was situationally depressed. My husband had just died.
My life as I knew it was over. The sadness and grief I was experiencing were normal human emotions. My grief was deep and if you look at depression symptoms, I could see how that could be my diagnosis.
Some Symptoms Of Depression Are:
- Feeling sad or being in a depressed mood
- Changes in appetite
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
- Loss of energy
- Thoughts of death or suicide
All of the above were a part of my experience. Yep, a big fat checkmark next to each one, but, the caveat for me was that on an intuitive level, I knew that eventually, my sadness would lift and I would laugh again and even love again.
Those who are clinically depressed cannot see that light at the end of the tunnel. Clinical Depression is a much more serious form of the depression that I was feeling over the loss of my husband.
While I knew that people have their bouts with depression over the course of a lifetime, what I am coming to learn is just how prevalent the more serious form of depression is within our society.
Did You Know?
- Depression is more common than AIDS, Cancer, and Diabetes combined
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is projected to become the second leading contributor to the global burden of disease by 2020
- An estimated 1 in 10 adults in the US report depression, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
- Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 350 million people of all ages suffer from depression according to the WHO
Depression also damages your self-esteem, confidence, and your ability to accomplish daily tasks. It’s as if a dark and gloomy cloud affects how you see the world, yourself, and your future.
The good news is there are some very effective treatments that can help – both traditional and those that are holistic.
So, where does The Law of Attraction fit into all of this? Depression can leave you feeling like a victim. When you are in the muck and cannot see the sun for the clouds no matter how hard you try, it really can feel as though your circumstances are out of your control.
However, when you understand and deliberately use the Law of Attraction, you reclaim your power and that can assist all other treatments immensely.
The Law of Attraction states “That which like unto itself is drawn” or more simply, “like attracts like”. It is a Universal Law that is working in your life whether you believe in it or not.
The law responds to the vibration you emit and the vibration you emit is triggered by the thoughts you think and the feelings associated with those thoughts.
Now, I know you’re probably saying to yourself, “Great! So I’m depressed and I feel like crap and my thoughts are all negative so I am getting more of the same.”
And you are correct but here’s the good news: YOU HAVE THE POWER WITHIN YOU TO CHANGE THAT STARTING RIGHT NOW!
Just to be clear, I am not saying that you can think joyful thoughts and your depression will be cured overnight.
While that may be the case for some, most of us, myself included, tend to work through things a little more slowly.
However, I am saying that you CAN see improvement if you choose to do the work and stick with it! With that being said, the first step in this process is to DECIDE to CHANGE!
You always, always have the power of choice and the decision to get well is your choice.
Once you decide to change your next step is to make the commitment to change. Be willing to do what needs to be done to effect the change you wish to create in your life – to lift the depression that is keeping you stuck.
Craft your commitment statement in a way that motivates and excites you. Post it in several spots throughout your home, car, office so that you see it many times throughout the course of your day.
When you have made your decision and committed to do what needs to be done, you want to begin to shift your focus from what is wrong to what is right in your experience as of this very moment.
Now, I understand that when you are stuck in the muck finding something to appreciate may seem like a monumental task, but trust me when I say there is always something to appreciate! Nothing shifts your vibration faster than developing an attitude of gratitude.
When I was deep in the muck after my husband passed, there were many things to be grateful for:
- The love and support of my family
- The love of my children (trust me when I tell you that if I did not have my children to care for, I may have joined my husband. Knowing that they needed me, kept me going when all I wanted to do was be with him)
- The consistent signs I was receiving that proved beyond doubt that my husband continues to live
These are just a few examples of the gifts in my experience and there are gifts in yours too! You may have to dig deep to find them but they are there!
Call To Action
My request to you is to put the below steps into action.
If you are feeling depressed – clinically or otherwise – take these 3 steps to begin the process of shifting your vibration:
Make The Decision – Choose To Change
Nothing happens without your decision to make a change. If the way you are feeling right now is not acceptable to you then it’s up to you to take back your power. You and only you are responsible for your perceptions. Choose to change how you are going to perceive your situation.
Make The Commitment
Craft a commitment statement that feels good to you. State your willingness to do what needs to be done to begin the process of healing. For example, you could create a statement, “I commit to doing what needs to be done to begin this process of healing my depression.
I am willing to explore all possibilities, to get the support I need, to see the gifts in my experience and to love myself and give myself some slack as 1 go through this process.”
Create A Gratitude Practice
Every morning, write down 3 things that you are grateful for. You can begin simply with something like being grateful for the air you breathe, or the sun shining, or the roof over your head. Then before you go to sleep, write down 3 more things that you appreciate from the day.
Again, they can be very simple, such as being grateful for having a job to go to, appreciating the phone call from a friend, being able to treat yourself to a movie, you get the idea. When you appreciate Spirit, (Source, God, Universe or whatever language speaks to you) responds with more for you to appreciate.
Remember, the Law of Attraction is at work in your life whether you believe in it or not. Why not choose to be a deliberate creator, take back your power, and leverage the power that creates worlds?
You are an expression of divinity, an awesome creator. You are NOT a victim and you are NOT powerless. Choose to claim your power. Take back your life! Do what needs to be done to heal your depression and live the life you came here to live. The time is NOW! And if you need support, find the perfect support partner for YOU!
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Elaine C. Torrance-Gingrich – Law of Attraction Coach
