Episode 40: Coffee with Gabi! Helpful Tips for When You're Depressed
Hey lovely human! I'm so glad to see you here today. Grab your coffee, and let's chat!
I have a few super practical tips to share with you today about things you can do when you're depressed or in a depressive season to maintain hope and take care of yourself. I have been in multiple seasons of depression and darkness, and I know how hard it can be. I have also learned some helpful things along the way that get me through and keep me from giving up. I hope this helps you, too!
You are cherished and loved. Sending you so much compassion today, my friend!
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(TRANSCRIPT) Ep. 40: Coffee with Gabi! Helpful Tips for When You’re Depressed
Note: Transcript is created by AI. Please excuse any errors.
Gabi: Hey, beautiful friends. It's spring break over here in my corner of the world. I'm sure it is for a lot of you too. So I have had a lot going on with my sweet kiddos and just trying to soak them up. Um, have my mother-in-law in town, which has been amazing for the kids to spend some time with their grandma and for us to be able to connect.
And I had just had a few moments where I could sit down and record a podcast for you guys, and I didn't want to miss out on that opportunity. Um, and something that I've been thinking about, um, that I wanted to share with you guys is just thoughts of how to. Moving when you're in a season of depression.
So for any of you who are in a season of depression right now, first of all, I just wanna extend so, so much compassion to you. I have been there, I have been there repeatedly, and I so get how very, very hard it is. It can feel. Nothing is gonna work out. It can feel like it's impossible to mobilize yourself to do anything.
You forget what you enjoy. You forget what you love to do, and it's just a dark and difficult place. So if you are in that season, consider yourself hugged by me and just know that you're not alone. Okay? That's the biggest thing. It's just to know you're not alone. And I know that I'm just a voice on a podcast, but I truly, honestly care about my listeners and I hope that you'll reach out and just say, Hey, that was me, and I will be praying for you, and I'll write back and I'll just tell you that you're not alone.
Okay? But some things that I have learned over the years of you. Wrestling through mental health struggles and chaotic family situations and all these things that have often resulted in depression. It has definitely taught me some things about how to keep moving forward. One of the biggest lies of depressive season can tell you is that your life is over and that there's no hope for you to.
A good and happy future. And so the very first thing that you need to combat is that thought. And even if it's really, really difficult to actually believe it, just kind of write it on your wall and place it in your mind daily. Like this is not forever. Better days are coming because that is just. This is not gonna last forever.
Some valley seasons feel like they last forever, but it's not gonna last forever, and there is still beauty and hope in your future. The other thing is, To mobilize your body. I know how hard it can be to get up and move, so do it gently. You don't want to over activate yourself or force yourself to do something that your body is really fighting against.
But if you can get outside and take a walk for even just five to 10 minutes, it will shift your. Something that has helped me a lot is just making a commitment to myself, because my body will tell me often that I can't move today, but it's actually not true. And so over time, and trust me, it took me time to really learn this, but over time I've learned to just schedule in.
Workout classes or times to move my body into my schedule and commit to myself, say, Hey, you know what? I'm gonna do this for myself and not, not one time have I regretted moving my body. Even on those days when it felt like it took everything in me to just get in the car and go to a, a workout class or go to the.
By the time I was finished and I came out, I was so grateful to myself for making that choice because it always, always, inevitably moves my mood up the ladder into a better space. So please, friends, one of the best medicines you can give yourself is moving your body. Another thing is just knowing who your safe people are.
If you are still on a quest to find safe people, I understand that too. So even if you have to put on a movie, To watch someone who you know is safe for me. I love seeing Laura lie Gilmore on Gilmore Girls. I may have mentioned that in the past, but even someone on TV who registers to your nervous system as safe will be helpful to get you out of that depressive state.
Ideally, there's someone you can text and say, Hey, I'm not doing well. Just so that they can know and they have your back, and if you can get out and be with someone, that would be completely the most ideal situation to actually go and be in the presence of another person. But anyone you can have in your back pocket that you can text or call or be with that you know is safe is going to help you so, so much.
Trust those people. Trust your gut in those instances to know that it's the right thing to do to reach out. And last thing is just find somebody to encourage. Always, always, always, if I find someone that I can encourage when I am feeling depressed or in a difficult state, it helps me to realize that I still have value and there's still someone that I can serve, however small that might be, even if it's just smiling at the person behind you in the Starbucks line.
Oh, yeah. And Starbucks. Definitely helps with being depressed too. I'm just gonna throw that out there. Um, but find someone to encourage. Okay. It will help you so much. Continue to move. Whatever it looks like. Continue to make small or large, whatever you can tolerate movements towards your best self, towards what you want for your future.
As you're in a depressive state, I know it's difficult, but caring for yourself in this way will teach you that there is a way out. There is a light at the end of the. You matter. I care about you friends. I hope that this gives you just a little glimmer of hope if you're in that dark state and it gives you a great little mental health first aid kit for the future if you find yourself in that state in the future.
You're beautiful and I will talk to you again soon. Bye friends.