I can't say that I have ever been clinically depressed.
There have been plenty of times that I have been down and discouraged, but I have never lost command and control or believed the negative thoughts that occasionally blow through my mind.
But when I get down, I know the cure.
All I have to do is climb into my Land Rover, and suddenly I feel great. Once I get behind the wheel of my Defender, I am instantly transported to the plains of the Serengetti, the mountainous sand of the Arabian Empty Quarter, the Australian outback, and the red rocks of the American southwest.
I have owned six Defenders, one for each decade of my life, and I have never felt so good.
If driving a Defender does not improve your mood and send depression packing, then here are eight steps you can take to eradicate depression from your mind.
EIGHT STEPS TO ERADICATE DEPRESSION
1. Realize that you have a treatable condition and that there is hope.
People suffering from mood disorders frequently don't realize they have a problem. They struggle with the storm of negative thoughts blowing through their mind, and they don't understand that their state of mind is abnormal. They think that feeling down and depressed is the way their life is supposed to be. They don't know that they can feel positive and enjoy each day. They don't know that there is no limit to how good their life can become. Until they realize that they have a treatable problem, and that there is hope, they will never get better. Zero Tolerance To Negative Thinking and Depression UNI are a great place to start.
2. Reestablish command and control.
Either you control your mind, or it controls you. If your mind controls you, if it continually bombards you with chaotic racing thoughts that you don't want to think, if negative and twisted thoughts dominate your mind, then it's time to reestablish command and control. You need to take command of your mind and control the thoughts you find there. If you are trapped in deep depression you may need medication to reestablish command and control so that other types of therapy are effective. If you have a milder mood disorder, you may be able to reestablish command and control without using medication. Cognitive therapy alone may be effective in breaking the back of the negative and depressing thoughts that thunder in your mind. Zero Tolerance To Negative Thinking and Depression UNI are a great place to start.
3. Recognize your cognitive distortions.
You must be able to recognize the distorted thoughts that bombard you when you feel negative and depressed. You need to identify your twisted thoughts and call them by name. Depressed individuals must become proactive and take responsibility for the treatment of their depression. When you are able to recognize twisted and distorted thoughts, and call them out by name, you are on your way to winning the battle of the mind. It won't be long before you feel better and your life improves. Zero Tolerance To Negative Thinking and Depression UNI are a great place to start.
4. Reject your cognitive distortions.
Once you recognize that your twisted thoughts are abnormal, you can get rid of them. Only the truth can set you free from your cognitive distortions. As soon as you face the facts and reject your abnormal thoughts, you are on the path that leads out of the Land of Depression. Zero Tolerance To Negative Thinking and Depression UNI are a great place to start.
5. Renew your mind with new thoughts.
Cognitive therapy is effective because that is the way God designed your mind to work. Your thoughts (cognitions) create your emotions, and when you change the way you think, you also change the way you feel. The Bible says, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind." The Bible recognizes that you need a new way of thinking. You must establish a program in which you regularly put positive and healthy thoughts into your mind. God gave you a mind, and He expects you to fill it with good things. Each day your job is to fill your mind with good things. One of the best resources you can use to renew your mind is to use Positive Self-Talk. You can change the way you think and feel by changing what you say when you talk to your mind. Self Talk UNI and Maximum Strength Positive Thinking are a great place to start.
6. Reprogram your mind with a positive operating system.
Your mind performs most efficiently when it has a positive operating system. Positive thinking works because it's the natural software for your mind. God made your mind so that it functions best when it's dominated by positive thoughts, and your job is to install a positive operating system. Owner's Manual For Your Mind and Programmer's Manual For Your Mind are a great place to start.
7. Radically shift your focus to God's love.
God's love is the most powerful and most positive force in the universe. When you focus on it and let it into your heart and mind, it changes the way you think and feel, and you receive the power to overcome life's greatest challenges. When your mind is full of thoughts consistent with God's love, your thoughts are healthy and your mind is exactly the way God means for it to be. When your heart is full of emotions consistent with his love, your emotions are healthy and your heart is exactly the way God means for it to be. Real Power: Maxing Out On God's Love and Positive Christian Self Talk are a great place to start.
8. Repeat these steps when you need to regain the high ground in the battle of the mind.
Don't let depression create a stronghold in your mind. The war for a positive mind is fought on the battlefield of focus. Use the power of focus to drive depression from your mind and to fill it with positive things.
ADDITIONAL FREE RESOURCES ON THE POSITIVE THINKING NEWORK
I am the Positive Thinking Doctor and the Encourager in Chief of the Positive Thinking Network. If you want to find out more about how to develop a positive mind, you can visit all the websites on the Positive Thinking Network.
If you want to have a mind free from depression, nobody can stop you.
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
