Depression sucks. And, depression can cloud thinking. Depression can cloud everything. My most-commented on post was, I thought, a throw-away that no one would comment on.
But depression is too real, and that post connected with people. Check out the post, and the comments, here.
Depression Sucks
I live in a valley surrounded by mountains. Sounds charming, but there’s way too many people who live here to make it as charming as a Hallmark setting. Instead, and unfortunately, the mountain/valley arrangement gives us what they call an “inversion,” where we get air trapped over our valley for a while. When I say “air,” think dark, yucky pollution.
Winter here is an issue. It can be dark, gray, cold, unwelcoming, and then you have the inversion. Seasonal depression… that’s what they call it.
Seasonal Depression Sucks
I think some people get career seasonal depression. I did, when I was in my job search (exhibit A). Many people I talk to are discouraged and depressed, anxious and on-edge. It just comes with the circumstances. I continue to look for anything to help myself and others who tend to go down that path, and was really quite interested in this article on Fast Company titled
I live in 24 hours of darkness each winter. Here’s how I stay sane
Please take the four minutes they say it will take to read this article. I think the entire article is fascinating.. Below the article are related links… explore those, too. I’ll list the five things the author lists to do, but please read the entire article for context. I don’t want you to brush over this list and think it’s a good idea… I want you to internalize the ideas.
Depression Sucks Anywhere, Arctic or Not
Whether you live in the Arctic and won’t see the sun for a while or you live in sunny Florida and see the sun as much as you want, if you are in a job search you might be in your own darkness. These tips can be a part of your remedy.
- Keep a routine. Just make sure that what you have in your routine is actually working. Ditch the tactics that aren’t getting you anywhere.
- Plan excuses to be social. Job clubs, anyone??
- Opt for a technical solution. I might suggest, for job seekers, turn this around and opt for a non-technical solution – that is, TALK TO (MORE) PEOPLE!!
- Find things to look forward to. This is why, in my Job Search Program, I talk about vision so much. You will land a job, you won’t be unemployed forever.
- Don’t fight the darkness. Recognize that the job search sucks, and accept it, but don’t accept defeat. Know your enemy, as Sun Tzu would say.
Here’s the article:
