How to Motivate Yourself When You Are Depressed: Tips and Strategies To Get Out of the Hole
The first step to getting out of a hole is to realize you’re in one. The sooner you come to that realization, the sooner you can start working on getting yourself out. When you’re depressed, everything seems dark and hopeless...

How to Motivate Yourself When You Are Depressed: Tips and Strategies To Get Out of the Hole
The first step to getting out of a hole is to realize you’re in one. The sooner you come to that realization, the sooner you can start working on getting yourself out. When you’re depressed, everything seems dark and hopeless. That’s why the first thing you have to do is identify the root cause of your depression. What stops you from moving forward? Who did that to you? Why don’t they understand? These are all important questions that need answers. If what’s holding you back is uncertainty or fear, now might be the time to address them. To start with, stop trying to hide your depression. Instead of running away from it, confront your fears and insecurities head-on instead. That way, when you eventually discover your answer, it won’t seem so scary anymore. Let’s take this one step at a time; how do we motivate ourselves when we are depressed? Here are some tips and strategies on how deal with depression when things don’t feel like they should:
Be honest with yourself first
No matter how much you want to get out of depression, you first have to be honest with yourself. Admitting that you’re depressed is the first step to recovery. It’s never easy to admit you need help, especially when you feel like you don’t. But don’t let your pride get in the way. You need to fully understand that you’re depressed for a reason and it’s not your fault. So take some time to think about what’s wrong. If you’ve been feeling down for a while now, write a journal entry about it. If you’ve been avoiding it, write a journal entry about it. Don’t be afraid of what you’ll find. It might not be what you think it is.
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Talk to your therapist or loved ones
When you’re depressed, you need to be extra careful who you talk to. Not only are you likely to talk to them a lot more than you usually do, but you’re also probably going to open up to them more as well. That’s a dangerous combination. That doesn’t mean you should never talk to your therapist or loved ones again. Just be extra careful what you say. Also, make sure to keep a journal so you have a record of what you said. This will help you later if you ever need to refer to it.
Decide what you want from life
When you are depressed, it can be easy to think about nothing but what you have lost. But you shouldn’t lose sight of what you have too. Sure, things might not be going the way you want them to right now. But the more you focus on what you want, the more you’ll remember that you do want those things. That might be something simple, like a nap, or something more grandiose, like a new career. Decide what you want, set small goals to achieve them, and celebrate when you’ve done it. It will help you focus on the good and motivate you when you feel like there’s nothing left to live for.
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Set SMART goals
When you’re depressed, you might be too afraid to even consider setting goals. But that’s a mistake. Goals are the key to success. That’s why they are called SMART goals. They are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. You want to make sure you set your goals to be as specific as possible. You don’t want to set a goal that is too vague.
Visualize your success and celebrate milestones
Depression can be isolating. That’s why it’s important to take small, manageable steps toward your goal. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself with huge goals that might seem unattainable when you’re feeling helpless right now. This is also a great way to stay motivated. It makes the journey feel more like a journey instead of something that will just never end. Make a visualization board and post pictures, quotes, or other things that inspire you. You can even use virtual reality goggles to make your visualization board part of your digital life.
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Take short-term breaks every now and then
When you’re depressed, you might want to dive right into your goal right away. But it’s also important to take breaks every now and then. This is especially important when you are feeling overwhelmed by your goal. It might be a good idea to take a break and do something else for a few days. You don’t have to push yourself to your goal. You just have to push yourself back to a place where you feel like you can accomplish something.
Conclusion
Sometimes, the best way out of a hole is to dig another one, so to speak. That hole might seem dark and scary, but it’s better than staying in the darkness. So put on some headphones and dig yourself out, you’ve got this. You’re not alone. You’re reading this because there are other people who feel the same way you do. Together, we can change this. The more people who come forward and share their stories, the sooner there will be a change.


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