Photo by mauro mora on Unsplash It turns out that I don’t even know when the last time was that I sat down and wrote out my thoughts and feelings. I wish I had made the time as I know that my depression is in the wings, waiting for me. I could slip up and be back near the abyss based on my lack of focus. This lack of focus is different than just not deciding about what to … [Read more...] about Is Being Too Busy to Write a Good Thing?
unhelpful thinking styles
What Would Make Me the Happiest?
What would I do? How would I think? What would I spend my time doing? Firstly, I need to factor in my diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder with suicidal ideation. Figuring out how to manage it has been my #1 focus for 4 ½ years. I still learn things every day about tools that will continue to give me an edge. And in that time, I have, with help, navigated different … [Read more...] about What Would Make Me the Happiest?
My Depression Has Me Falling in and Out of Love
I don’t like it, but I cannot seem to stop depression from doing it. Despite my depression, there are parts of most days where I am in love. I am especially in love when I am thinking about her. And there are moments when we are together that are special. We play board games together on the back deck and take walks around the property with our dog. These are the times I … [Read more...] about My Depression Has Me Falling in and Out of Love
Straight Talk About My Journey with Depression
Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash In case you are new to my blog, my name is Joel and I live in Charlottesville Virginia. I am a middle-class male, and I have worked since I was 10 years old. My career spans over 50 years in retail management and along with my wife, I have raised 3 remarkable children. Recently, I finally said out loud that I have lived with … [Read more...] about Straight Talk About My Journey with Depression
It’s Just a Hike, Why Am I Using All or Nothing Thinking?
Why would I turn a 4 ½ hour trek in Shenandoah National Park into an all-or-nothing scenario? After all, this was just a warmup to trekking the Inca Trail this October in Peru. A chance to test out gear and remember what worked and what did not when we climbed Kilimanjaro in January. And maybe it was hotter than any recent hike I have undertaken. But why should that trigger … [Read more...] about It’s Just a Hike, Why Am I Using All or Nothing Thinking?