Archive for the 'Inspiration' category

The Power of Compliments in Lifting Depression

Feb 15 2010 Published by under Decision, Information, Inspiration

Giving compliments is a hard task for a lot of people suffering and recovering from depression.

Coming out of depression involves a process of rediscovering and re-learning the powerful and vital social skill of giving compliments.

When I was wrapped in my own depression, my inner suffering locked me away in some kind of socially-isolated cocoon.

Before long, I formed a habit of not noticing the good and the positive about others and myself. I stopped giving complements to people. Why should I, when my own happiness and optimism had vanished?  Continue Reading »

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Depression and failure: Edison’s lesson on handling failures.

Feb 11 2010 Published by under Decision, Determination, Inspiration

Today is Thomas Edison’s birthday. He was born 163 years ago and was one of the most prolific inventors in history.

I really like some of his quotes:

‘As a cure for worrying, work is far better than whiskey. I always found that, if I began to worry, the best thing I could do was focus upon doing something useful and then work very hard at it. Soon, I would forget what was troubling me’.

‘If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves…’.

‘The three things that are most essential to achievement are common sense, hard work and stick-to-it-iv-ness….’.

‘Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up’.

I consider Edison my role model in how to handle a failure. He had pretty amazing attitude, patience and perseverance. When he was
designing a working electric light bulb, I believe he had over 3000 attempts that failed. Instead of giving up, he chose to focus on the valuable insight that these failures gave him, made some adjustments and tried again. He understood that failures lead to success.

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What kept Robinson Crusoe going and what would help you to get better?

Feb 01 2010 Published by under Change, Hope, Inspiration

Today is Robinson Crusoe’s Day!

Years and years ago, while in my teens, I read this wonderful novel by Daniel Defoe and admired his character’s determination and resourcefulness. 28 years of being a castaway trapped on an island!

Being depressed often feels like you have been kicked out of society. You are struggling and surviving on your own, day in, day out. The pain and suffering of being lonely is immense. The trust and hope that someone will come to your rescue is fading away with each day.

What kept Robinson Crusoe going? How did he manage to find the strength for over a quarter of a century?

Whether we are castaway on an island or feeling trapped in a cycle of depression, we have the same innate resources available to any human being:

1. We have a very powerful imagination, therefore we can create hopes and keep them going.

2. We have an ability to learn and remember, therefore we can acquire and employ new knowledge and skills.

3. We have an ability to analyse what’s working and what is not, therefore we can solve problems and find solutions.

4. We have an ability to plan and examine our plans objectively.

5. We have an ability to adapt if things are not working, therefore we are not wasting our creativity and efforts away.

6. We have an ability to connect with others.

 

Regardless of how you are feeling right now, all these wonderful resources are within you!

 

Happy Robinson Crusoe Day!

 

Other articles you might want to read:

5 Great Reasons To Smile a lot and often

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