Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Don't Let "Depression" Get You Down

I'm currently reading The 4-Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss and am really enjoying it. I signed up for his blog and find it an interesting mix of topics. Last week's post was depression (based on Heath Ledger's suicide) and he offered 3 tips for preventing "depression."


Here are his suggestions from his post (which is definitely worth the quick read):

"1. Depression is just one phase of a natural biorhythm and thus both transient and needed.

2. How you label determines how you feel.

3. Gratitude training can be used pre- or mid-depressive symptoms to moderate the extremes and speed the transition."

The key points that I took away from it were:

  • Don't be quick to call it depression or see it as a permanent state. These feelings come and go and are part of life.
  • The best thing to do to elevate your mood is to go out to eat with friends!
  • Use gratitude as a way to recenter your perspective on what's good in your life.
His blog and website are helpful companions to the book and offer great reminders based on his common themes. Start with the book and learn how to live like the "New Rich!"

2 comments:

jensinkler said...

I love the idea of outsourcing the irritating parts of your life, as Ferriss suggests.

I'm not sure how to put it into effect just yet, but I read a hilarious account in Esquire of the concept in motion.

It's here, if you're interested: www.esquire.com/ESQ0905OUTSOURCING_214.

runningfor3 said...

I think that Heath Ledger's death was found to be accidental.