A long time ago…… A long time ago……. A long time ago………To you the phrase “A long time ago” may mean nothing but to me these four words were repeated about four times out of my mouth during a public speaking class in college before I pushed through the fear and started speaking fluidly! Like many, I was so resentful of that class and would have taken the opportunity to drop it in a second if there was an option. WE ALL HAVE FEARS. Public speaking, sadness, anger, rejection, embarrassment, illness, heights, public places, driving, being alone, socializing, vomit and failure are just a few common fears. With fear and unwanted emotions comes anxiety and distress.

You have to take the good with the bad, that’s life. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster if you let those around you dictate your happiness. I get it, people can be rude, tear others down to build themselves up, expect too much of you, lack empathy or be completely irrational. There’s no sugar coating it, people can really suck. Don’t let these sucky people suck the life out of you. If you live your life honestly and with good intentions, take responsibility for your actions and think about others, there’s no reason to beat yourself up. LOVING YOURSELF IS THE GREATEST MIDDLE FINGER OF ALL TIME. It tells those around you that only YOU define yourself. Learning to love yourself is a journey, but I promise, with work, everyone has the ability to get there.

About 9 years ago someone who had suffered from major depression told me the best thing that anyone could tell him during his worst time was that, “you’re not always going to feel this way.” It made sense to me, providing someone with hope for their future encouraged him to think beyond the horrible feelings in the moment. This has stuck with me for a long time because sometimes it’s the simple things that we say and do that can have the most impact on an individual. There can be an internal pressure when talking to someone who is suffering to say or do the “perfect” thing. I’ve learned when it comes to depression the simple things can matter the most. Here are some ways to support someone who is depressed: