• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Mental Health Resources
    • Depression Resources
  • Blog
    • Coping
    • Medication
    • Self Care
    • Stress and Anxiety
    • Unhelpful thinking
      • Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda
      • Fortune-Telling
      • Guilt and Shame
      • Time Travel
    • Sleep Issues
    • Depression
    • Covid19
    • Suicide & Self-Harm
    • Wellness Tools
      • SMART – Self Management And Recovery Training
      • WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan)
      • Change Triangle
  • Contact
  • SHOP

You are here: Home / Self Care / The New Year Brings New Possibilities

The New Year Brings New Possibilities

January 3, 2022 by Depression Is Not My Boss 2 Comments

How I think about the new year will decide how much time i devote to self-care
How I think about the new year will decide how much time i devote to self-care

How will I think about the new year?

Answering this will set the tone for 2022. Accepting things that happen to me is what my depression would love. Its new year’s resolution begins, “I will make sure Joel is circling the drain by the end of 2022. I will make sure Joel remembers that I am the best thing that has happened to him. I resolve to make sure Joel sees that I am his only devoted friend. He should only trust me.”

Depression has an ulterior motive when it sings “should old acquaintance be forgotten….

It wants me to remember the good ole days when it was just me and depression hanging out near the bottom of the abyss. There was not much to do and really nothing to think about. In fact, the greatest joy was inventing a reason to go to bed early. And on non-workdays, depression would help me invent excuses to stay in bed as long as possible.

The new year brings a chance to reset the clock, to have a “do-over.”

And that starts with the events that will take place this year. I know that I will never be able to control all the events that will occur in my life during 2022. And that’s ok. As someone has said, “life happens.” Variety is the spice of life and all that.

Happily, I get to choose how I think about the new year!

That’s the key. Attitude is all-important. When my depression is acting up and doing its best to keep me secretive and alone, changing my attitude is hard. Heck, it is darn near impossible. And I have been there enough times to know what I am talking about.

Resetting my attitude when I am circling the drain is almost impossible.

What I am finding out is the time to work on my strategy about depression is when depression is on vacation. Even my depression, which has nearly killed me on multiple occasions, needs a holiday. Without outside contact, how would I see that depression is my only faithful friend?

By stepping back and resting, depression lets me think that I am in control.

The rock I push up the hill becomes a pebble that I can skip up the rolling hill like a stone on the water. Once my depression sees that I have the illusion of being in control, it begins its constant, unforgiving drive to get me back under its wing.

Once my depression tastes first blood, it ups the game until I am pushing a huge boulder straight up the side of El Capitan in Yosemite.

One thing I know needs addressing is my attitude towards how I use my time. Or more correctly, how I think about the time that I have each day. For the last few months of the year, I have let myself feel pressed for time. Everything was important and I thought that stopping to smell the roses wasn’t possible. I had to keep moving, to accomplish, to experience, to do something, anything.

My self-care time has gone to zero over the past few months.

Well not zero, but my thoughts about self-care and my own time, have been skewed by life. The hardest part is for me to admit that I am in control of this. But I am not taking control of my attitude about how I am using my time each day.

How I think about the New Year will determine, in large part, how my new year ends up.

Setting aside time for me isn’t bad. But it feels bad like I am not doing enough for others. If I am not constantly on call for someone, am not doing something for someone, I feel I am letting everyone down.

My own self-care then takes a back seat to the needs of others.

Yet, I know I am as valuable as anyone else. I deserve to have time for myself, just as others do. And I allow others the opportunity to recharge their batteries by saying no. Why am I reluctant to allow myself the same opportunity? If I see self-care as valuable for others, why can’t I see the value of it for me?

So, one of the first things I must do in 2022 is to decide what my attitude will be towards events that unfold.

And how much time will I allow myself? What will I see is OK for me? Can I really see myself as being valuable, on a par with others? This is a big part of my being able to move forward, is to value myself, just as I am.

The more I can do that, the closer I am to leading a balanced life with depression.

Filed Under: Depression, Facts and myths about mental illness, Mental Health, Self Care Tagged With: feeling guilty, guilt and shame, mental health awareness, New Years Resolutions, self care, self esteem, self-worth, Selfcare

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chijohnnwankwo says

    March 4, 2022 at 11:57 AM

    Very nice article, Thank you very much.

    Reply
    • Depression Is Not My Boss says

      March 10, 2022 at 10:42 AM

      Thank you for taking the time not only to read my post but to send your positive thoughts about it.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Joel Natl Career Fair Bio Pic he's using for my concealed depressionHello, I am Joel Quas 

In April 2019, I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder with suicidal ideation. By writing things out, I am learning more about my relationship with depression. 

Joel’s Next Book

The US has a a new 988 system that grabs location, not just area code.
Close×
https://myconcealeddepression.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/my-concealed-depression-intro.mp4
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

More to See

The startling truth about coping statements for anxiety and depression

The Startling Truth About Coping Statements For Anxiety and Depression

October 28, 2020 By Depression Is Not My Boss

My 101 Coping Strategies for Anxiety

My 101 Best Coping Statements For Anxiety and Depression

October 18, 2020 By Depression Is Not My Boss

Why Was My Therapist Chuckling At What I Said?

May 4, 2025 By Depression Is Not My Boss

Hurry Up And Wait

April 14, 2025 By Depression Is Not My Boss

You Never Pay More, Yet Clicking These Links And Making a Purchase Helps Fund My Blog

PureFormulas.com-Pure Healthy Goodness, Highest-Grade Natural Supplements! Fast, Free Shipping!
Mosaic 250x250
Blog Meets Brand
Best Self Improvement & Personal Development Blogs - OnToplist.com
RSS Search

All my posts – Be careful, some of my older posts could be triggers

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019

Footer

Contact

Email:  my.concealed.depression@gmail.com

Privacy Policy

Recent

  • Why Does JetBlue Keeps Pushing Back Our Return Flight?
  • Why Was My Therapist Chuckling At What I Said?
  • Hurry Up And Wait
  • Surprise, It’s April Fool’s Day
  • STILL OK, NOT SAD, NOT MAD, JUST OK

Search

Products

  • Evergreen is the story of my life with major depressive disorder. I write to learn more about my mental health Share The Journey As I Write My Next Book - draft "Evergreen"
  • The Six Second Cover Letter™ The Six Second Cover Letter™ $19.99
  • 10 Page Gratitude Coloring Pages 10 Page Gratitude Coloring Pages $14.99
  • 5 gratitude coloring pages from my concealed depression to help reduce anxiety and depression Five - Gratitude Coloring Pages $9.99
  • The One Secret That Lands Your Dream Job[Course] The One Secret That Lands Your Dream Job[Course]

© Copyright 2020 · My Concealed Depression · All Rights Reserved · Designed by The Marketing Momma