Change Your Story with Kirstin Leigh

Winning the War on Depression

BY KIRSTIN LEIGH

Growing up in a small, ‘this is the way it is’ town, I quickly learned what it’s like to be an outcast, judged before you open your mouth, and bullied – living in fear just because you don’t follow the crowd. I knew that one day, I would make life better – easier for everyone else. I also knew I would be moving to New York City as soon as possible.

And that is what I did. I saved my babysitting money and moved to NYC when I was seventeen. I was ready to conquer the world! However, there were times when the world almost conquered me.

I know what it’s like to fight for a dream—and what it’s like to lose one. I know how it feels to be smiling on the outside and crying on the inside, for habits to become lifestyles, and to look in the mirror one day and barely recognize yourself. I know what it’s like to give up. And I know the faith and the work it takes to get back up.

Depression can attack anyone. For some, it’s like a sudden storm. It might not last long, but its effects linger. For others, it’s like a torrential downpour that never lets up.

While there is no formula for breaking free from depression, I pray that each of the seven steps I’ll share below will bring you closer to freedom. Closer to living the abundant life God created you to live.

Don’t let the dark cloud of depression blind you any longer. Make a decision today to fight!

SEVEN POWERFUL WAYS TO FIGHT DEPRESSION

1. BELIEVE YOU ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR

God has a purpose and a plan for your life. But YOU have to believe it. And you have to fight for it.

Depression steals your joy, your passion, and your zest for life—it makes you forget who you are. Depression silences you into thinking it’s the boss.

Have you ever had a houseguest who stayed too long? Think of depression like this guest. If you cater to its every need and listen to what it says (like You might as well… No one cares anyway… You don’t deserve that job… You’ll never be good enough…), it will hang around forever.

Take charge. Tell depression it has overstayed its welcome and it’s time to hit the road.

2. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

When you’re depressed, this can be the most annoying thing to hear. But it is the one thing with which pastors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and scientists agree. Cultivating “an attitude of gratitude” affects everything from your health to your finances.

I used to waitress in New York City. Before rushing to work, I’d write a note to myself about something I was grateful for and put it in the pocket of my apron. When I would reach for a pen, I’d feel the note. And when I’d get ready to take an order, there was the note.

I put that physical reminder to be grateful in my pocket so I’d “remember,” yet all day long, I kept finding what I forgot was there.

Depression is like this. As much as we want to remember the good things, depression distracts us. So today, make a list of your blessings and put it somewhere it will keep finding you.

3. BE AWARE

Being aware of what you are thinking is key when fighting depression! For example, are your regrets on re-play? Do you re-hash old wounds? Or go over and over conversations that hurt you? Do you think about how bad things are or how good they can be, how many times you’ve fallen or how many times you’ve gotten back up? Being aware of what you are thinking and intentionally replacing every self-defeating thought with a life-affirming one can be a game-changer.

I’ll never forget moving into my first apartment in Los Angeles. I could see the “Hollywood” sign from my window (something I had always dreamed about.) In addition to the Hollywood sign, another sign—the Serenity Payer, was hanging on my bathroom mirror. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Holding on to things I couldn’t change and not changing the ones I had control over was one of the root causes of my depression. Learning to live by the Serenity Prayer played a huge part in winning the war on depression.

It is all too easy to become fixated on our past—the regrets, mistakes, hangups, and hurts. But God gives us a choice. Ask God for the strength to forgive yourself and others, and to help you move on to what He has next.

4. WATCH YOUR WORDS

Words either build us up or tear us down. They can make us feel like we’re on top of the world but can just as easily break our hearts.

While we can’t control what people say about us, we can commit to speaking life into our own lives.

Words are powerful and full of energy. They carry momentum. Which direction are yours taking you?

5. REMEMBER!

It’s not all about you.

Depression makes us feel unworthy. Therefore we isolate ourselves. Yet while isolated, all we do is think about ourselves! So today, take the focus off yourself and do something for someone else.

Helping others really does help.

6. DIG DEEP

Every successful corporation knows that taking inventory is essential to success; your life is no different. Digging deep opens the door for the truth to be revealed. Take some time to jot down what is working in your life. Next, write down what is holding you back. How can you reorganize your life to take full advantage of what is working and eliminate or change what isn’t?

And this is important, recognize those things you didn’t write down at all because you don’t want to think about them or you just can’t deal with them. Evaluating those situations or relationships will help you break free from depression.

7. ASK FOR HELP

You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

Talk to someone who will share their strength, their scars, and their story with you. Someone who has been there, done it—and overcome it.

And above all else, PRAY.

This should be a given, right? Yet prayer is one of the most powerful but overlooked weapons we have. Through prayer we find the strength to stand against depression, rejection, temptation, fear, and every other negative behavior and emotion.

Prayer connects us to our Creator, our Healer, our Provider - the One who can deliver us from depression and every other attack of the enemy.

With God, you can renew your strength. You can soar on wings like eagles and you can run and not grow weary. (See Isaiah 40:31)

With God, you can Change Your Story.

After running away from her dreams and battling addictions for over a decade, Kirstin Leigh is now a best-selling author, speaker, actress, and the founder of The Change Your Story Workshop. She is passionate about empowering others to break free from strongholds and discover the masterpiece that lives within. To find out more about Kirstin or to purchase her books, you can visit:

www.Kirstinleigh.com

For information or to enroll in The Change Your Story Workshop, visit www.thechangeyourstoryworkshop.com