It is frustrating to live with depression. I get it. I walk to the beat of humming depression almost every day. It is even more frustrating to take a handful of medications that still do not eliminate my symptoms entirely.

What helps me feel better is that I try very hard to maintain a positive attitude. Is it easy? No. But it is truly imperative.

I never realized how much depression could influence my thoughts until a friend gave me some feedback one day. She said, “Amy, you and I are just different. You see the glass half empty, and I see it half full.”

Ouch. I always thought of myself as a positive person with a good attitude, but, unknowingly, I had gotten a bit cynical because of my untreated depression. As much as I did not appreciate her input at the time, I can now look back and say I am glad she said it.

There is a lot to be said for paying attention to what thoughts we have going through our minds. Practicing mindfulness is a great help in managing depression. It is a way of staying in check with whether my views are really negative or simply impacted because I do not feel well.

Sometimes, people who do not experience depression will not be able to relate to how I feel. What I have realized is that they should try to understand how I feel just as much as I should try to understand how they feel, which is something I actually think I have learned to do.

No one wants to be around a person who perpetuates negativity even if it is due to an illness. More importantly, I have found that the more I focus on being upbeat and positive, the more my mood actually lifts. If I am only feeling the hum of depression, I can often adjust my mood just enough to feel better.

Focusing on a positive attitude has really helped me, and I hope you try it and that it helps you too. Also, if you have someone in your life that cares enough to give you feedback and talk about your perspective, their input could be worth their weight in gold.

Read more of Amy’s posts here.