Be Proud

A recent bad day reminded me the power of recognising the little achievements. After all, those little things add up.

Little by little, a little becomes a lot

Tanzanian proverb

It would have been very easy to stay in bed, wallowing in whatever misery was jostling to be at the forefront of my awareness.

But I didn’t.

I allowed myself to lie in bed for an hour or so but, when it became clear that I wasn’t going to drift off into blissful, mind-numbing sleep, I got up.

I actually made the conscious decision to get out of bed.

That alone is worthy of a pat on the back and hearty “well done”, so if that is your success for today you should be proud of yourself.

But I didn’t stop there.

I got washed and dressed.

Now, simple as that sounds, performing these basic but hugely beneficial daily self-care routines is often a mountain too high to climb when we are buried within the energy-sapping black cloud of depression.

I settled myself on the sofa still lost in the tempest of emotion, numbness, grumpiness, anger, lethargy…

Not long ago I would have stayed there growing angrier at the monotonous ticking of time passing around me.

But not that day.

I recognised the need to break out of this vicious cycle. I knew I didn’t want company, but I also recognised that I needed company.

I wasn’t with my (very understanding) friend long – though I did last longer than I anticipated I would. I didn’t say much and I was probably radiating grumpiness. But he made some simple conversation, allowed me to sit in silence, didn’t question my mood and didn’t expect anything from me.

By the time I was half way home again I was feeling a bit better. Not sunshine and rainbows I admit, but a paler shade of grey.

A bad morning did not become a bad day.

A bad day did not become a bad week.

All because of the few little things I achieved – the conscious choices I made to support myself.

And the fact that I can recognise these small successes is another achievement.