Acting As If

One of the techniques I learned in college was that of acting "as if."  This works well for mild depression and for anyone who feels stuck or in a slump.  (Remember that Big D serious clinical depression usually requires medical intervention.)  Decide what you want to do and be, and then act as if you are already that person doing those things.  It's like practicing the piano or blocking a play on the stage.  If you do this consistently, you will begin to do and become what you are portraying.

So I thought: what do I want to be doing each day? 

• I want to eat healthier food. It's sometimes hard to do that cooking for myself, so yesterday, I bought a smoothie.  It had freshly juiced fruits and vegetables and a little yogurt.  I have decided I can't afford a $5.00 a day juice habit, so I plan to get out my little-used juicer and clean it up.  Then I can buy carrots and greens and apples, etc., and make my own smoothies.
• I had a routine in the morning that I've somewhat ignored lately.  It includes prayer, blog, Facebook, and email.  I'm claiming that time in the morning for myself.
• I am adding daily gospel study back into my routine.  We speak to God in prayer and He speaks to us through the Holy Ghost and often through the scriptures.

These are simple things, but I know they can work.  I love the Charles Kettering quote; I remember hearing it somewhere years ago.  Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.  So much of depression is built on a failure mindset - hopelessness, helplessness, and negativity.  If I feel my body well and feed my mind and spirit on living water and the bread of life, I will not fail.  Until I get the true motivation on board, I will go through the paces of acting as if and soon I won't be acting at all.

Text copyright Gebara Education April 2013

 

First picture from www.xlurbanmedia.com

Second picture from www.verybestquotes.com