Depressed? Get to the Gym

Sometimes, the clouds clear.

You've been living life but it's a dark, depressing, muddy mess and you're not sure if you're ever going to see the sun again but you hope and you wait and you think maybe there's a glimpse of it but nope just muddy sky again and then ...

There it is.

A cloud moves and you can see sunshine again. Sweet freakin' sunshine.

Might be a glimmer but it's enough. Get to the gym now. Get outside NOW. Do something. Do anything. JUST MOVE.

Because movement is where you will find yourself again.

It's where you always find yourself but it's hard to remember that when you're down, when you're beaten, when all you want to do is curl up on your sofa and eat mac cheese and zone out on the pain of this life. "No, not today," you say to yourself and you start to give up, just a little bit every day in so many ways. You slide. A little less effort here, a little more sharpness there, a bunch of frustration there.

But you're better than that.

You always were and you always will be–and you need to keep reminding yourself of that. Like John Steinbeck wrote long ago to his son, "Nothing good gets away."

And you are something good.

You can't get away, not even from yourself, although the Lord knows you try. Oh you try.

But here you are.

And if you'll just get your body in motion, get movement of limbs and life to go with your movement of thought, well then you can turn this glimmer of light into a giant sky of sun. It won't necessarily come easy.* But that's okay. You've always liked hard work. You like to push yourself to see what you've got. You just forgot that for a little while.

Welcome back to you.

Get up. Get in motion. When the clouds start to clear, sprint for that sunshine. Feel it on your face, your back, your neck, your arms. Get a sweat going. Good. Now you're getting somewhere.

And for the love of all that is beautiful in this hard world, keep moving. A little bit at a time, if that's all you can handle. Then more.

Just keep moving. We need you.

*Note: general advice. If you need help, get help. If you need medication, take it. One size does not fit all.