Taking ACTION ...

[jfriend]

When I think of ways to pull out of this depression, the one word that comes to mind is ACTION. Everything else - feelings, positive attitude, etc. is really secondary. The key is that I need to take action. When I do take action, I'm likely to get results - maybe not immediate results, but action is usually accompanied by a change of state. As an addict, I've relied on an IMMEDIATE change of state ... however, this change doesn't take place immediately (at least for me, it hasn't).

So, I guess the moral of this little story is to take action - REGARDLESS of how I feel. Unless I'm physically incapable of doing something - I need to go ahead and do it. Naturally, this is not easy. However, with momentum that can be created, it CAN become easier.

Lately, I've been listening to some Tony Robbins videos on You Tube. I've always found him to be a bit on the "cornball" side; however, he's definitely right when it comes to taking a focused, goal-oriented approach and appyling massive action. I'm not sure whether many of you have listened to him much, and like I said, he can be over-the-top at times ... but I must say, it's been sounding better and better lately.

I didn't really feel like posting, but I'm taking the action to do so right now. As always, I've noticed what a supportive bunch of folks you all are. I don't want to neglect the good things in my life - AND the good people in my life ... so I'm trying to peek my head out of this depression and say hello. Thanks again, for all the wonderful support/advice you've given on here!

j

[g]

Hi jfriend,
Glad you posted! What you wrote is very true. When I've been depressed in the past, just getting out of bed was a huge task. But making myself do just that, then next day adding something else like forcing myself to have breakfast, helped me to start piecing my life back together again.
My niece was in rehab for a year and I know that 'taking action' was exactly what she was made to do. She'd get up in the morning and be told what her chores were for the day. No questions asked. All she had to do was work her way thru the list and day after day it became second nature to her to act rather than obsess.

I've replaced negative habits with more positive ones and my life has slowly become 'normal' once again. Retraining our brains by DOING rather than trying to think our way out of depression - and I think obsessing is just a way to avoid facing our depression- really helped me to finally get into recovery.

Stay close to the fellowship, Jfriend, because we need you and you need us to remind each other that there is hope. Together we can do this!
G

[iwillsurvive]

Hi jfriend! So good to see your post. The board isn't the same without you. Glad you want to take action. That's one of the things I discovered was necessary when I was so deeply in depression a few months ago. I had to force myself to do something -- anything -- to provide a change of scenery and to help distract my addict while I worked on core issues. Please continue to post. We are all here for each other. I am praying for you. Don't forget to reward yourself when you take action.

[quinn]

Jfriend,
Taking action regardless of how you feel sounds like a good plan. I think of it like exercise—if I wait until I actuallly feel like doing it—well, that day will never come. So I do it just because I know I should and then eventually it starts to become a habit and I start to feel good because of it.

You can't beat action for dealing with depression. For the compulsively busy person however, (that would be me) I sometimes have to remind myself to stop taking action because I'm just using it to distract myself from feelings I'm trying to avoid.

[trout46]

Hallelujah jfriend! I can't tell you how happy I am for you to hear you talking about taking action. As IWS, Quinn, and Greta have suggested, action is the road to recovery! (It doesn't happen on its own.)

It's really good to see you posting more, which itself is action. Keep coming back. Make it a routine part of your life. That is what I did this summer, and the promises of recovery have really begun to take hold. They will for you too. And maybe much sooner than you think!

[jfriend]

Thanks for the comments, everyone - as always, I appreciate your feedback. I know things can, indeed, get better ... and it's all about taking those daily good actions - REGARDLESS of how I feel about them. It's nice to be in touch again, my friends!

[g]

Jfriend, just keep posting and you'll really start feeling at home.

Once you settle in properly and get into recovery you'll start asking yourself how you ever managed without LRAA!

We're all here for each other. I'm going to be away for a week when I go on holiday soon...I will miss you all so much and I'm trying to prepare myself for some kind of withdrawals.

G

[CJ]

Hi Jfriend. I agree that action is important to responding to depression. Almost any distraction can be helpful at certain times. Great to see you.

[knowlove]

Hi Jfriend,
I just got back from a two day hiatus and was wondering how you were doing? Are you still trying to get out of this funk? Just wanted you to know I was thinking of you and hoping you were feeling better!

[serenity]

Hi jfriend,

My coda sponsor sent this to me today and i thought it might help you:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVI3VQEjJFo

Its about accepting all our feelings and the guy is very peaceful to listen to. How are you feeling now? I really admire your ability to even want to ACT whilst your in a depression. For me having to be in the world was sheer agony and i did whatever i could NOT to act.

Blessings to you friend, Vee