I just wanted to follow up on that and talk about something that a therapist talked with me about in early 2014 that has stayed with me.
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I am, in case y’all didn’t know, a bit of a perfectionist. He, knowing that, asked me about my exercise habits, esp when depressed.
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Basically, he figured out that what happened was that I wouldn’t exercise when I am depressed, then when I finally got myself to the gym, I’d overdo it.
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Then, I’d be worn out for the next few days, then depressed that I didn’t get back, and, ultimately, it would be a week before I’d get back.
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So, he gave me a new exercise routine — that really went against all of my goals: Go for 30 minutes, but go 3 times during the week.
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Of course, he said, I’d eventually work out for longer periods, but this wasn’t about that. ... I actually took his advice, and it changed my life.
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I started going, twice during the week and once on the weekends, and, at first, I forced myself to stop after 30–45 minutes.
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That’s been my goal baseline since. Sometimes, I get busy or tired and only get there twice, and I’ve certainly moved up to longer workouts and runs since.
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But, that simple plan — 3 30-min workouts a week — was what got me to a healthier mental place, to lose a significant amount of weight, and to run a half-marathon.
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I was back to a place this week, mentally, where that was what I needed to make myself do. And, I did it. And, it felt great — and necessary.pic.twitter.com/voY5nL6kkK
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I’m not about to say this is the plan for everyone. Everyone is different. But, if you do live with depression, I encourage you to think about it (or, ideally, talk about it w a pro)!
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Anyway, that’s that. Just a little update on how I’m getting by in this little thing called life.
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Y’all are amazing, and I’m so heartened to hear that people are finding this thread to be helpful. ... Night, all, and let us be good to one another — and, yes, ourselves.
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How are you doing now? It’s definitely tough pulling yourself out of a hole that seems to feel at times like that’s where you deserve to be. Part of you is very content staying there and inertia is keeping you down in that hole, as well. Keep fighting - you deserve to be happy!
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I’m doing well-ish. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I’ll keep on keeping on — and we’ll see!
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Start small, it's so important to do what you *can* do, not what you think you *should* do. I'm re-joining my gym this month so I can just walk in a warm dry place a few times a week. To start.
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I'm kinda religious about walking. When nothing else is possible, 20, 15, or just 8 minutes of walking is something I can start with. Best wishes to you!
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