Depression Self-Care
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How to Take the Best Care of Yourself When You Are Struggling With Depression
Imagine you're a gardener tending to a beautiful but delicate garden. Each flower and plant represents a part of your well-being and needs different types of care. When depression hits, it can feel like an endless drought, and no amount of watering seems to help. Just as a gardener might feel overwhelmed by the task of nurturing a struggling garden, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list when dealing with depression. Even simple tasks can feel impossible.
Let’s uncover some hidden obstacles and explore strategies to help you care for your mental garden even during your toughest times.
Obstacle I.
Learning New Skills
the only thing you truly need to focus on is to keep going…
Think about trying to grow an exotic plant without knowing its needs. No matter how much you want it to grow, lack of knowledge can hinder its growth. Similarly, depression can make you feel like you don't know how to manage your day or your emotions, and you don’t have the energy or the headspace to figure it out.
Ways to Thrive:
Break it Down: Divide tasks into smaller, manageable steps. Instead of cleaning the whole room, start with a tiny task, like picking up clothes; it doesn’t have to be all of them. For our Decision-Free Cleaning Routine, check out Our Garden Guide Neurodivergent Planner & Activity Book, available to purchase later this fall!
Learn as You Go: Use guides and resources to help you build essential skills.
Seek Help: Sometimes, reaching out to a professional, like a therapist, can provide coping strategies tailored to you.
Obstacle II.
Running on Empty
Even with the skills and desire, sometimes you don’t have the resources—whether that’s energy, money, or support. Depression often comes with exhaustion, making it feel like you're running on empty.
Ways to Thrive:
Energy Audit: Track your energy levels and plan tasks for times you typically have more energy.
Buddy System: Like having a gardening partner, enlist a friend for support. A simple walk can become more manageable with company.
Be Gentle: Practice self-compassion liberally. Conserve your energy and prioritize the tasks that matter most.
Obstacle III.
The Perfectionism Pitfall
Ironically, caring too much can stop you in your tracks. Perfectionism often leads to procrastination because the fear of not doing something perfectly keeps us from starting at all. You might envision your mental garden blooming with perfect flowers, but the pressure to maintain that ideal can be paralyzing.
Obstacle III:
Embrace Imperfection: Set “good enough” goals instead of perfect ones. Taking action, even imperfectly, is better than nothing at all.
Incremental Growth: Focus on small achievements and celebrate progress, no matter how small.
Reflect and Adjust: Use a journal to track progress and adjust your expectations to be more realistic.
Obstacle IV.
Keeping Your Goals in Sight
In the whirlwind of depression, it’s easy to forget self-care rituals. ‘Out of sight, out of mind’ can leave you feeling disconnected from your own goals and priorities. Like a gardener who's misplaced their to-do list, without a clear guide, it's hard to know where to start, and your mental garden can fall into disarray.
Ways to Thrive:
Visual Reminders: Place sticky notes or visual cues in your environment to remind you of important tasks.
Routine Matters: Establish a consistent daily routine to reinforce positive habits. Floriss' Garden Row Scheduler Template can help you achieve this by sectioning out your day every day!
Digital Aids: Use apps and reminders to keep your goals in sight, ensuring they don't fall by the wayside.
obstacle V.
The Trap of Overly Ambitious Goals
Setting unrealistic goals can be self-sabotaging, like expecting a cactus to thrive in a rainforest. While optimism can be a powerful motivator, it can also lead us to set goals that are out of reach for the moment being. This can result in feelings of failure and frustration when things don’t go as planned, leading to a decline in motivation and self-shaming.
Ways to Thrive:
Realistic Goal-Setting: Break larger ambitions into smaller, manageable steps. If fitness is your goal, start with a daily 5-minute walk.
Time Management: Allocate realistic time blocks to tasks, leaving room for breaks.
Regular Review: Frequently review your goals and adjust them based on your current circumstances and progress.
Taking care of yourself isn’t about relying solely on willpower. Sometimes, it’s about recognizing and addressing underlying issues—whether they’re skill gaps, resource limitations, perfectionism, forgetfulness, or overly optimistic thinking.
At Floriss, we understand these unique challenges and offer a supportive community to help you keep your mental well-being flourishing, even on the hardest days.
Join us, and let’s nourish our emotional landscapes together.
Have these tips been helpful for you? Do you have your own struggles and solutions? If you’re comfortable sharing, we would love to hear all about it and show additional support! Your story might be the encouragement someone else needs today!