[SirFozzie]

The first thing that drew my attention in the PowerPoint was 101 ways to deal with stress. Most of them work with depression too. In these cases, what I do (and probably most others) is to draw inwards. Get stuck in my own head.

These things are ways to get outside of that. You don't have to do everything. You just have to do something.

Here are the 101 ways he listed.

Get up fifteen minutes earlier
Prepare for the morning the night before
Avoid relying on chemical aids
Set appointments ahead –
Don’t rely on your memory…write it down
Practice preventative maintenance
Make duplicate keys
Say ‘no’ more often
Set priorities in your life
Avoid negative people
Use time wisely
Simplify meal times
Always make copies of important papers
Anticipate your needs
Repair anything that doesn’t work properly
Ask for help with jobs you dislike
Break large tasks into bite size portions
Look at problems as challenges
Look at challenges differently
Unclutter your life
Smile
Be prepared for rain
Tickle a baby
Pet a friendly dog/cat
Don’t know all the answers
Look for the silver lining
Say something nice to someone
Teach a kid to fly a kite
Walk in the rain
Schedule play time into every day
Take a bubble bath
Be aware of the decisions you make
Believe in you
Stop saying negative things to yourself
Visualize yourself winning
Develop your sense of humor
Have goals for yourself
Dance a jig
Say ‘hello’ to a stranger
Ask a friend for a hug
Look up at the stars
Practice breathing slowly
Learn to whistle a tune
Read a poem
Listen to a symphony
Watch a ballet
Read a story curled up in bed
Do a brand new thing
Stop a bad habit
Buy yourself a flower
Take stock of your achievements
Find support from others
Ask someone to be your ‘vent-partner’
Do it today
Work at being cheerful and optimistic
Put safety first
Do everything in moderation
Pay attention to your appearance
Strive for excellence NOT perfection
Stretch your limits a little each day
Look at a work of art
Hum a jingle
Maintain your weight
Plant a tree
Feed the birds
Practice grace under pressure
Stand up and stretch
Always have a plan ‘B’
Learn a new doodle
Memorize a joke
Be responsible for your feelings
Learn to meet your own needs
Become a better listener
Know your limitations and let others know them too
Tell someone to have a good day in pig latin
Throw a paper airline
Exercise every day
Learn the words to a new song
Get to work early
Clean out one closet
Play patty cake with a toddler
Go on a picnic
Take a different route to work
Leave work early (with permission)
Put air freshener in your car
Watch a movie and eat popcorn
Write a note to a far away friend
Go to a ball game and scream
Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
Recognize the importance of unconditional love
Remember that stress/depression is an attitude
Keep a journal
Practice a monster smile
Remember you always have options
Have a support network of people, place and things
Quit trying to ‘fix’ other people
Get enough sleep
Talk less and listen more
Freely praise other people


PS. Relax, take each day at a time…you have the rest of your life to live.

Some are big, some are small. Some you won't be able to do, Some you won't WANT to do. But do something.