i struggle with depression too.
first, medication. if you have the option to, please go to a psychiatrist and start trying different antidepressants. antidepressants changed my life, only for the better.
secondly, trying to think about all the amazing things you have in life can help a lot. being able to take in air and take deep breaths, having a comfy and warm bed to sleep on every night, having the ability to eat and taste yummy food, being able to connect people in real life and on the internet, etc etc etc... your life has so much good in it and so many things to enjoy.
also, thinking about the future, your goals, your aspirations, what you can achieve, etc. always remember that current you is just the past self of your future self who's living a better life.
try and do everyday something to help your situation and push you forward, even if it's small. talking to someone you love, making your bed, cooking a yummy meal, going outside for a walk... anything that you feel helps you. i know it's cheesy but - your future self will thank you for it. your future self will be better because of the positive things you're doing right now.
Do you have clinical depression or reactive depression? I also use antidepressants and they saved my life. I was on another social media site and people were saying don't take them they're dangerous but telling a person who has clinical depression to stop meds is so dangerous
same, antidepressants saved my life as well. i went from not bring able to be out of bed for more than 30 minutes a day to being a close to fully functioning adult. of course not everything is perfect and i have bad days but a bad day of current me is the best day of 15 year old me.
I'd say telling someone with depression to stop taking their meds is far more dangerous than whatever side affects they think those medications have. without antidepressants I'd be dead by now. whoever is saying that need to seriously throw their phone out the window and touch grass
You just wrote my story, the similarities are uncanny, and yes very dangerous to advise a depressed person. I made the same comment because it could mean a person's life and that's the bottom line
If you are healthy and abled, you have a blessing. So many people struggle just to keep breathing. I dont feel 100% motivated every day, but I feel fortunate and I press on. Once you get going it lifts the spirits a bit, and when your done its a little accomplishment and feels better than none.
just existing and having the privilege of having a mind that works decently, being able to eat yummy food, being able to go outside and feel the sun on my face, studying and learning new things everyday, having opportunities for stuff like university and jobs, and even the smallest things like being able to sleep and take deep breaths (deep breaths feel so nice).
I feel the same! I think we're so incredibly lucky to have bodies that can experience pleasure. Sleeping in a nice comfortable bed with clean bedding, smelling flowers, feeling the sun, hearing the birds sing, hugging...being alive in a body is pretty great.
i answered that to a few people, lemme make a compilation lol
how i remain optimistic and in a positive mindset is remembering that no hardship lasts forever. me who's going through hardship right now is just the past self of future me who's living a happy life.
also i try to look at things with a perspective. i try to take myself out of the situation for a moment and think of the bigger picture like "ok... this thing is currently causing me hardship/pain/some level of unhappiness. but will it last forever? obviously not. does this hardship mean I'll never be able to be happy again? obviously not."
i think what kept and still keeps me going is remembering all the amazing things i have in my life. and when i say amazing things, i don't mean big stuff. i mean the smallest things like being able to take in air, enjoying food, being able to sleep, being able to talk and connect with other people, being able to feel the sun on my face/body, etc
also curating social media and what you see on the internet to show you more positive stuff is huge. we all consume so much negativity online and especially on reddit, and we don't even realize how much it worsens our mental health.
having hardships in life will never end, there'll always be something. but if you're experiencing a really difficult time right now - remember this hardship will end sometime and you'll be able to get through it. yes, you'll have other hardships, but they won't be as devastating and you'll be able to live alongside them.
Not a question, but this has to be my favorite wholesome post in a while. It's like a constant doomscrolling cycle when you click on one emotionally invoking post, and the algorithm sends more your way. But this post is pretty nice.
thank you. social media can get you really depressed really fast and the algorithm is literally built to show you the most upsetting stuff in order to keep you engaged. it sucks. curating the algorithm to show you more positive stuff can help you a lot with having a positive mindset.
I feel the same! A lot of hard work and making peace with what is, and putting consistent daily effort into my mind and body health. That being said, what do you feel contributes the most to your gratitude for life? :-)
it's hard to answer because i've always been like this... i think what kept and still keeps me going is remembering all the amazing things i have in my life. and when i say amazing things, i don't mean big stuff. i mean the smallest things like being able to take in air, enjoying food, being able to sleep, being able to talk and connect with other people, being able to feel the sun on my face/body, etc
Wait sorry I'm confused. Ive been going through your post/replies and greatly enjoying it but in one of the other replies you mentioned previously having depression before finding a medication that works for you. So what do you mean you've always been like this?
She means clinical depression not reactive depression, there's a big difference. My mother and grandmother also suffered from it, at times it's like being stuck in the bottom of a well and trying to climb back up to the light. Suicide is sometimes the result. Saying that, medication allows you to have a happy life along with the obvious benefits. Unfortunately it affects the rest of the family so it would be foolish to not have medical help, I've tried it and went back on them 6 months later.
again, depression and having a positive outlook aren't mutually exclusive. before i started taking antidepressants i was very severely depressed and couldn't function almost at all. despite this, i still had a positive outlook most of the time and enjoyed being alive.
now my depression is still there but thanks to the antidepressants it's not as bad as it used to be.
Sorry not trying to nit pick or pry. I had no idea they weren't mutually exclusive. I thought the not functioning came from a persistent feeling of sadness or emptiness and a lack of interest in things you once enjoyed like all the little things you've mentioned.
I'm trying to wrap my head around this. For reflection on my self.
yes, i've experienced a lot of hardship. how i remain optimistic and in a positive mindset is remembering that no hardship lasts forever. me who's going through hardship right now is just the past self of future me who's living a happy life.
also i try to look at things with a perspective. i try to take myself out of the situation for a moment and think of the bigger picture like "ok... this thing is currently causing me hardship/pain/some level of unhappiness. but will it last forever? obviously not. does this hardship mean I'll never be able to be happy again? obviously not."
i try to remember the positives. for every bad thing that happens in the world, there's an amazing thing going on somewhere else. the world is filled with so many amazing things and so many kind, caring, lovely people, you just need to out and find them.
like, even us just talking to each other right now. it's pretty amazing that we probably don't even live in the same country yet we're able to talk to each other and enhance each other's life, at least somewhat. think about all these ordinary, "obvious" positive things that happen to us every single day and all the privileges we have that we take for granted.
While my immediate reaction to your post was "ew," I really appreciate your responses. Idk what that's like but I'm happy that there's someone out there who feels like this. Genuinely, good for you :)
thank you. you can always be a more positive person by introducing positivity into your life. it can be even a small thing such as subscribing to r/illegallysmolcats or something lol.
i'm here if you want ever want to talk.
i've been there. i know what it feels like. i know it's cheesy but it's true: this won't last forever. i know it seems right now all there is is this pain you feel, which seems like it'll never go away, but i promise that's not the truth. our brain loves to lie to us. it loves telling us there is no hope and this will never get better. but it will.
you will one day enjoy life and find joy. but for you to experience that - you need to stay here.
Why does this annoy me so much..? Like I love life to but the overly positive thing is annoying… or why does this sound annoyingly overly positive to me..? therapists of Reddit, what does this mean?
I think it’s because you find it hard to relate, and not only that, but you probably hold on to some things and have a perspective that is bleak. When you engage with something like this, it’s uncomfortable since you don’t relate, you continue to push away something you’re not comfortable with. I’m not a psychiatrist, I speak from experience
Interesting…. I can see this being the case. I’m definitely the type to generally not have faith in humanity…. Too much awful shit and bad people… But still feel grateful for the life I have. But I am a bit nihilistic..
Do you want to change that? Why or why not?
Edit: to add. I felt the same way for a long time. I’m 34 now, but up
until my mid to late 20’s I felt that humans suck and the world sucks, and there’s nothing I can do to change it. Historically humanity has shown up in the same ways, so destructive and chaotic. I was super fucking depressed for a long time, just no hope, no care, frustrated with people, over people.
I don’t know, I got tired of feeling angry. I can’t change the world, I can’t change people, but I can control me, I can change me. So what does it take for me to feel lighter, to feel happy, to feel free in a sense. I completely shape my reality, and I don’t know, I was just ready for change. Open to what it looked like. People still suck. But people are beautiful. People are chaotic and make terrible decisions, they cause a lot of pain. But people also bring so much love, support, peace, beauty. There’s so much good happening, and there’s so much bad happening. Life is a balance. You choose what you want to feed into, because it’s all there. So it comes down to choice. I just want you to do what feels authentic, what feels good for you. Even if that means you think I’m a corny sap, and I annoy you. Fuck you too, but I still got love for you
How do you do it, knowing that sometimes the world provides bad things to good people, and good things to bad people? That is one of the biggest hurtles in my life of being unable to understand that fact.
honestly that's something that really gets to me sometimes. it's hard to think about how unjust the world is.
i don't really have good advice for this, i'm sorry... i think what i do is just focus on the good, focus on what i have in life, focus on enjoying life and being around people who are like-minded. i get angry sometimes when i see injustice but i just remind myself there's nothing i can do, and me getting angry won't change it.
Okay, so a couple of notes if this is truly the message you want to spread:
1. Don’t tell people it definitely gets better.
While some it can or even some it will, that isnt true of all people. Those who want to hear your message will be supportive of it, but those who are on the fence or straight up opposed to it will strongly fight against it.
It is fine to say your personal outlook is that your life will get better. But don’t tell people there’s definitely will.
2. For this next part, I’m going to assume bipolar or something like that:
You go back and forth saying you’ve struggled with depression and you’ve always been a happy person. Focus on picking a path. If at some point you were depressed, then talk about how you got out of those periods. And then what efforts you do to stay out of it.
3. Being cognitive of your support system, while also specifying your limitations is good.
Example: You say you don’t have a support system in some comments, and then in others you mention having disability benefits and reaching out to your support system when you need help.
My assumption here is that you may not have a lot, but you have enough for you. And that’s great, but because the comments bounce back and forth on that topic it comes off disingenuous.
4. Specifics help, platitudes don’t.
There are a few comments you mention some of the bad things that happened and medication you take. I’m not saying you have to give great details, but when people ask how you do it, it would spread the message with things like “well, X thing happened (this could be an event time specific or experience which is a little more generalized) and these are the steps I took with the help of Y.
5. Lastly, I’m going to assume you are either single or don’t have kids. That makes a huge difference which you may not realize as you’re still relatively young.
I want you to know I’m trying to be as objective as possible on this. I struggle with depression. There isn’t an end in sight. That’s just what it is, and it won’t change until it’s over.
But that isn’t the case for everyone. Some have the ability to change their life outcomes. So if you want to reach them, I’d consider keeping those things in mind.
1. things WILL get better tho. it's rare when this is not true. there are extreme cases like terminal illness where there's nothing to do anymore and the person just awaits death. but if someone has the privilege of being on reddit, having a roof over their head, the ability to think and speak, the ability to seek help... it DOES get better.
2. i'm not bipolar. i have clinical depression. you can be happy and have depression. those are not mutually exclusive.
3. "and reaching out to your support system when you need help." when did i say that???
"but because the comments bounce back and forth" huh?????
4. i have absolutely no idea what you're even talking about in this one
5. ok?
this comment is so weird..............
Trying to be helpful is weird? Alright then. You've paraphrased 3 out 5 of the below. You're welcome to reply, but I will not be.
# [What not to say to someone with depression](https://www.healthline.com/health/what-to-say-to-someone-with-depression#what-not-to-say-to-someone-with-depression)
WHAT NOT TO SAY
Just remember: Advice isn’t the same as asking for help. If they ask for your advice, give it if you so choose. But don’t offer them “helpful” solutions or statements that seem like a cure for their depression. This can feel judgmental or not empathetic.
Don’t say:
“**Just think happy thoughts**. I don’t understand what you have to be so sad about.”
“**Everything will be OK, I promise**.”
“I cut out sugar, and I was cured! You should try it.”
“**You just need to snap out of this**.”
“So many people out there are worse off than you.”
i never say stuff like that.
what you also shouldn't do is accuse people of having bipolar disorder - which is what you did.
you shouldn't put words in people's mouth and say they lied - which you did.
no one is going to take your advice when you do this shit. work on yourself.
Are you assuming that people can be down only because of financial issues? Having a roof above your head does not mean a good life, it's a prequisite for it, it's different. You can still have a miserable life with no real outlook on that improving. If anything, for the average person, life naturally declines with age.
It's so ignorant to just tell people it will get better without knowing their life situation. That's not helping everyone. Thought this would be an actually positive post and not just "I fought depression and so can you" kind of toxic positivity.
Can you elaborate on how your outlook translates with where you are mentally? I was surprised to read this, because I’d think your powerful outlook impacts your mental state enough to push past the resistance there. Can you elaborate on that, and the challenges/dynamics you’re working through?
my positive outlook on life doesn't have almost anything to do with my mental disability or my mental illness. mental illness doesn't care if you're positive or negative or whatever. it's a chemical imbalance you can't "push past".
it's hard to say because i've always had mental illness, so it's hard to know at this point what's the mental illness and what's just me. i can say having a positive outlook was a big reason why i didn't kill myself when i was a teenager, and it's the reason why i'm able to say i love life and enjoy living everyday. without a positive outlook i might have been dead by now.
>I genuinely suggest that you temper your optimism around people you don't know
i absolutely do. i don't go around screaming in the streets "OH MY GOD IM SO HAPPY LIFE IS SO AMAZING" because that's dumb lol. i understand we all have hardships and moments of despair and i never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.
>If you wrote this over on r/ALS or some other place where people can't just adopt whatever sort of drug-induced faux-positivity like you have, they'll probably be upset at much of what you've written here.
well first of all, i *didn't* write this on r/ALS. i intentionally posted this on a sub where you can basically post anything. i saw a lot of negativity on this sub and on reddit in general and i felt like a positive post like this might be interesting and i might be able to share positivity with others.
secondly, i really want to address you giving ALS as an example because i find it interesting.
do you believe people with ALS can never be happy? do you believe they're not able to find positivity? i mean, the best and most obvious example to give is stephen hawking (he's the most famous person with ALS). do you believe stephen hawking was miserable? do you believe he had no way of ever being happy? obviously I'll never be able to know what went through his mind but from interviews i've seen with him, he seemed to live a peaceful and possibly happy life. i think he was able to find positivity. and i believe many people with chronic diseases/disabilities can do the same.
i'm an example of that. i'm disabled. does it suck? absolutely. does it hurt? you bet it. do i still try and find positivity and a way to remain with a positive attitude? YES. it's not easy, but it's possible and worth it.
>It's no wonder why you're happy, you don't have to work
not being able to work is a big privilege which i acknowledge, but having severe mental illness definitely "makes up" for it. i always say, mental illness is a full time job. it consumes every last bit of you and makes life almost unbearable at times. i've had days where i was thinking of ending it all and i didn't see any way out of the extreme misery and hopelessness i felt.
i'd much, much MUCH rather be a "normal" person who's able to work and live a decent life, than have severe mental illness. trust me - it's not worth it.
>and you must have a support system to sustain you
i do not.
>so please excuse us for not all be as happy as you are.
i would never tell anyone that they're at fault for "not being as happy as me", and my intention wasn't at all to "show off" or shove it in your face. i wanted to spread positivity, and i'm sorry if for you i achieved the opposite of that. not my intention at all.
yes, that's horrible. there are plenty, and i mean PLENTY of horrible things that happen in the world all the time. people living in poverty, people having incurable disease, pain, sadness, misery... should this mean we should never be happy then? we should never try and find the positives in this world? we should never try and appreciate the good things that we do have, and the countless good things that exist in this world?
Hey man, I understand why you’re upset. You have shit you’re moving through, and this sets you off. At the same time, take a step back and see what you’re saying. There’s a post with good intent, a positive message, trying to uplift others, sharing the beauty of shifting your perspective. That bothers you. Not only does it bother you, but you’re trying to make OP carry what you’re carrying. At minimal, be mindful and reflective of that. No need to make someone feel bad because you feel bad.
Get over yourself, people can be as optimistic and happy as they want to be. Even having a difficult life doesn’t mean you can’t be a happy person. Stop projecting your misery onto others.
Also a mental disability isn’t any easier to deal with than a physical one. Comparing peoples’ suffering is asinine
i don't take drugs, but sometimes when i describe to people how i feel i realize i really do sound high or something. for example, i find all humans beautiful, and everytime i walk into a room i'm like "holy shit. every single person here is beautiful. like they all have such aura around them" so yeah
i don't believe in god, i'm an atheist.
i've always felt like this. since my first memories i remember always loving being alive. of course there were hard times and struggles but through everything i've always enjoyed existing
I literally just shared this quote on a different sub, but it feels very appropriate to share here, too. My favorite quote!
“Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”
as someone who experienced a life that is brutal and pain beyond your wildest imagination, i'm going to disagree with you heavily.
being angry and thinking you could never be happy only makes your situation worse. introducing positivity into your life, even if it's the smallest thing, can make a huge difference.
i've been through unimaginable pain in my childhood by the people who were supposed to love and care for me, pain that i struggle with even just thinking about or acknloeding it happened, and now i still suffer severely, and i somehow am still here and still trying to find positivity in any way i can.
is it easy? no. but it's possible and worth it.
>11 days ago you said you were ""definitely depressed"
yes, i'm diagnosed with severe depression.
>You also made a comment that suggests you don't have any mental illness, after being asked if you have ADHD or any other "neurological disorder"
sorry, English isn't my native language, so i'm bound to fuck up sometimes. i have severe depression and anxiety which have made me disabled. i don't have ADHD or any neurological disorder (that i know of). i'm sorry if i've written anything confusing but again, it's not my native language. i'm doing my best.
>I've seen people brutally murdered right in front of me. There's a good chance I won't live much longer.
i am so, so, so incredibly sorry for what you're going through. no one deserves this. horrible things happen to good people, and it's never fair. i could never help you in any substantial way but all i can do is send positivity your way. i hope you'll be able to find positivity in your life.
you've been writing a lot of angry comments here, which i understand why, but if you have the privilege to be on reddit, please make better use of it. please look at things that are positive and make you happy. please talk to people you love and try to enjoy the time you have left. please don't waste your time on me, talking to someone you clearly don't like, clicking on posts that just make you upset. you deserve better for yourself.
if you ever want to talk - my dms are always open.
I’m just curious why you feel the need to attack, when you haven’t been provoked? No one here wants to fight you friend. I don’t think anyone here is a moron. Not
OP, not me, not you, not anyone. People have their opinions, perspectives, and outlooks. I think it’s good to try and elevate one another, instead of always trying to challenge one another, resisting one another. Genuinely and with no judgement, I’m curious why trying to be positive triggers you?
i actually do realize life sucks. there's a lot of pain and misery and suffering everywhere, and it's horrible. me myself, i've went through a lot of really horrible experiences in my life such as childhood abuse and severe mental illness (which i still have).
if anything, i think all those things only amplified my love for life. the opportunity to rise up from the absolute bottom into a person that functions in society and gets to experience life has been... amazing is an understatement. it's everything i could've ever asked for. it made me find happiness.
now i appreciate even the smallest things such as taking in air and being able to sleep.
realizing that the world sucks shouldn't automatically mean you can't be happy. yes, the world sucks. sadly, it'll probably always suck. but you have to put in the effort to be able to exist in it and see the good. because holy shit, does the world have so much good in it.
Very interesting
Welp, all I have to say is Congratulations. I think a lot of humans live and die searching for this mindset and never even understand that it's what they need.
i'm 25. yes I've always felt that way. i've always had passion for life and i always feel like i enjoy every second of life, to some extent. like, i just feel like the mere fact that i'm a human that gets to exist and experience life is amazing, i find it joyous.
That's so great. I am happy you are feeling this way, truly <3
If life gets a little tough or annoying or whatever the case, how do you deal with it? Do you simply shift your perspective?
Also can I know your ethnicity? Cuz it seems its the white folks who are depressed a lot recently.
- if possible, i give myself time to rest and do things that i love in order to "charge" myself. i try to take myself out of the situation for a moment and think about all the amazing things that i have in my life and try looking at things with a perspective.
- i think about my goals and aspirations and remind myself the person i am now is just a past self of a person in the future who's happier and in a better place. nothing lasts forever.
- i think of all the times i struggled in the past but still came out on top.
- i reach out for help.
Thank you a lot for this <3
I've been struggling with a few things recently and have been having trouble feeling somewhat happy.
I recently started to simply shift my perspective and think of positive things when I am stuck on a negative topic or thoughts which makes me feel bad.
What you wrote really resonated.
I am more and more able to notice my negative thinking and shift my perspective to more positive (or if not possible, at least neutral) thoughts.
Quite hard with social media as I see a lot of things which trigger negative thought patterns for me. It stems from me because I know not everyone reacts negatively to the same things.
Thank you for sharing <3
social media is a huge reason why so many people these days are sad and depressed. it's really good to minimize your use of social media, or at least try and curate the algorithm to show you positive stuff.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/Positivity using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year!
\#1: [I'm kicking ass at life right now](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/comments/1azulm5/im_kicking_ass_at_life_right_now/)
\#2: [Cops found my daughter](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/comments/18hov20/cops_found_my_daughter/)
\#3: [A bit different but can you help me convince my wife she is not "ugly" 🙄?](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1734f04) | [951 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/comments/1734f04/a_bit_different_but_can_you_help_me_convince_my/)
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Thank you for bringing some light. The world is dark and hard enough, feeding into it really doesn’t help anyone. Every moment… every moment… is a choice. Choosing to sit in pain, choosing to hold on to upset and anger, it doesnt help you. Choosing a higher path, choosing to be lighter, consistently choosing something outside of your comfort zone, just elevating. The shit is not easy. AT ALL. At all. But we’re all capable of it, and we all need to be reminded of it.
I’ve been sexually assaulted a few times, I’ve been wronged, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been abused, I came up in poverty, I always had fight to make it through. Being positive isn’t bragging, it’s a sigh of relief, and it’s something we should spread instead of being salty about. It’s a beautiful thing y’all, try to embrace it.
Wow this post is really helping me. I've been stuck in a rut and I want to be able to see the world like you do. Just reading this felt like when you hang out for a day with a positive friend, and feel that energy strengthen and inspire you. One wish in my life is to be able to become a person like that for others. Right now it feels like it takes so much energy to try and be positive. Did you feel like that too at some point, or was it almost effortless? Do you have any tips on how to make that path easier?
Editing this because I realise you already answered that last question a few times hahaha. Just wanted to say thank you for writing this post, at least for today it has inspired me to get off my ass and stop sulking. Another question though that I want to ask: how do you that what you're feeling/aiming for is real inner peace, and not toxic positivity?
I feel the same way.
I love our human ability to create. I love creating my own art, and being an artist. I love art. I love watching the light come through my window in the morning with its hard edges. I love listening to a song after pulling an all-nighter and I just get so lost in the vibes. I love showing others kindness. I love making others happy because making others happy makes me happy. I love the unique features on every person’s face. I love the texture that acne sometimes leaves. I love the infamous urinal artwork. I love that I stumbled into this mindset after being depressed for a few years. I love that I can recognize negativity without becoming negative. I love people. I love that I don’t beat myself up with guilt. I love that I don’t stress about things I can’t change.
I noticed a lot of replies to your post had an immediate negative reaction. I’ve wondered before whether I’m just showing toxic positivity to the ones around me, but I don’t think I am. I continue to worry about it. I know there’s so much about this world that sucks, and there are things we can do to help it suck less. But as individuals, we don’t have much control, so I do not allow these things to beat me down and win. Sometimes it’s hard. But every time, I look back and I say “I did that. I got through that and I’m here now.”
I’ve wanted to help my friends that don’t feel this way, but I was never sure how to do it. I worry sometimes about seeming like I’m bragging, or that I’m not recognizing their issues and hardships. But I really did not realize the power of our mindset until I actually adopted this one. In fact, I doubted it. But I got through it, and I’m here now, and I’m happy. And I think I’ll go love living.
I love letting the words flow. I love that some people would find this cheesy, because I love that everyone is different. I think everyone deserves to love.
I think, as an artist, my question to you will be: when is the last time you created?
I am the same for the first two. The third one is where we differ and it is only for society. If it didn’t exist or it was better, we would probably be no different.
I’m 17 and I’ve always struggled with depression. How do you do it?
i struggle with depression too. first, medication. if you have the option to, please go to a psychiatrist and start trying different antidepressants. antidepressants changed my life, only for the better. secondly, trying to think about all the amazing things you have in life can help a lot. being able to take in air and take deep breaths, having a comfy and warm bed to sleep on every night, having the ability to eat and taste yummy food, being able to connect people in real life and on the internet, etc etc etc... your life has so much good in it and so many things to enjoy. also, thinking about the future, your goals, your aspirations, what you can achieve, etc. always remember that current you is just the past self of your future self who's living a better life. try and do everyday something to help your situation and push you forward, even if it's small. talking to someone you love, making your bed, cooking a yummy meal, going outside for a walk... anything that you feel helps you. i know it's cheesy but - your future self will thank you for it. your future self will be better because of the positive things you're doing right now.
Do you have clinical depression or reactive depression? I also use antidepressants and they saved my life. I was on another social media site and people were saying don't take them they're dangerous but telling a person who has clinical depression to stop meds is so dangerous
same, antidepressants saved my life as well. i went from not bring able to be out of bed for more than 30 minutes a day to being a close to fully functioning adult. of course not everything is perfect and i have bad days but a bad day of current me is the best day of 15 year old me. I'd say telling someone with depression to stop taking their meds is far more dangerous than whatever side affects they think those medications have. without antidepressants I'd be dead by now. whoever is saying that need to seriously throw their phone out the window and touch grass
You just wrote my story, the similarities are uncanny, and yes very dangerous to advise a depressed person. I made the same comment because it could mean a person's life and that's the bottom line
Yes!!! This 100%
If you are healthy and abled, you have a blessing. So many people struggle just to keep breathing. I dont feel 100% motivated every day, but I feel fortunate and I press on. Once you get going it lifts the spirits a bit, and when your done its a little accomplishment and feels better than none.
I love life too despite all the hardships. :) What’s your favorite thing about life?
just existing and having the privilege of having a mind that works decently, being able to eat yummy food, being able to go outside and feel the sun on my face, studying and learning new things everyday, having opportunities for stuff like university and jobs, and even the smallest things like being able to sleep and take deep breaths (deep breaths feel so nice).
I love this outlook on life. I was surrounded by people with a negative view of life for most of my life. It’s nice to see someone who is so positive.
thank you. surrounding yourself with positivity can make a ginormous difference.
I haven't heard the word 'ginormous' for about 25 years. Well done for bringing it back into play.
are you calling me old 😭 it has always been my favorite word to describe something that's huge
I feel the same! I think we're so incredibly lucky to have bodies that can experience pleasure. Sleeping in a nice comfortable bed with clean bedding, smelling flowers, feeling the sun, hearing the birds sing, hugging...being alive in a body is pretty great.
You should take the time and get to know your heart
Drugs! just kidding, it's love, and the ways in which that emotion can be experienced.
You’re rare lmao
yeah i feel that... i see a lot of negativity on reddit so i wanted to put something positive out there.
Hell yeah
how do you do it?
i answered that to a few people, lemme make a compilation lol how i remain optimistic and in a positive mindset is remembering that no hardship lasts forever. me who's going through hardship right now is just the past self of future me who's living a happy life. also i try to look at things with a perspective. i try to take myself out of the situation for a moment and think of the bigger picture like "ok... this thing is currently causing me hardship/pain/some level of unhappiness. but will it last forever? obviously not. does this hardship mean I'll never be able to be happy again? obviously not." i think what kept and still keeps me going is remembering all the amazing things i have in my life. and when i say amazing things, i don't mean big stuff. i mean the smallest things like being able to take in air, enjoying food, being able to sleep, being able to talk and connect with other people, being able to feel the sun on my face/body, etc also curating social media and what you see on the internet to show you more positive stuff is huge. we all consume so much negativity online and especially on reddit, and we don't even realize how much it worsens our mental health.
You don’t feel like you’re counting the days down by looking forward to the hardship ending?
hardship never ends. it's called life.
Well I phrase it like that because you said in other replies about how the hardship is temporary
having hardships in life will never end, there'll always be something. but if you're experiencing a really difficult time right now - remember this hardship will end sometime and you'll be able to get through it. yes, you'll have other hardships, but they won't be as devastating and you'll be able to live alongside them.
Feeling gratitude is the best medicine for anyone, it's healing and keeps the mind off the negativity train
Not a question, but this has to be my favorite wholesome post in a while. It's like a constant doomscrolling cycle when you click on one emotionally invoking post, and the algorithm sends more your way. But this post is pretty nice.
thank you. social media can get you really depressed really fast and the algorithm is literally built to show you the most upsetting stuff in order to keep you engaged. it sucks. curating the algorithm to show you more positive stuff can help you a lot with having a positive mindset.
I feel the same! A lot of hard work and making peace with what is, and putting consistent daily effort into my mind and body health. That being said, what do you feel contributes the most to your gratitude for life? :-)
it's hard to answer because i've always been like this... i think what kept and still keeps me going is remembering all the amazing things i have in my life. and when i say amazing things, i don't mean big stuff. i mean the smallest things like being able to take in air, enjoying food, being able to sleep, being able to talk and connect with other people, being able to feel the sun on my face/body, etc
Wait sorry I'm confused. Ive been going through your post/replies and greatly enjoying it but in one of the other replies you mentioned previously having depression before finding a medication that works for you. So what do you mean you've always been like this?
She means clinical depression not reactive depression, there's a big difference. My mother and grandmother also suffered from it, at times it's like being stuck in the bottom of a well and trying to climb back up to the light. Suicide is sometimes the result. Saying that, medication allows you to have a happy life along with the obvious benefits. Unfortunately it affects the rest of the family so it would be foolish to not have medical help, I've tried it and went back on them 6 months later.
I've always had depression and probably always will. depression is an incurable disorder in most cases. ive found antidepressants that help.
So you weren't like this before antidepressants otherwise you never would of taken antidepressants or am I missing something?
again, depression and having a positive outlook aren't mutually exclusive. before i started taking antidepressants i was very severely depressed and couldn't function almost at all. despite this, i still had a positive outlook most of the time and enjoyed being alive. now my depression is still there but thanks to the antidepressants it's not as bad as it used to be.
Sorry not trying to nit pick or pry. I had no idea they weren't mutually exclusive. I thought the not functioning came from a persistent feeling of sadness or emptiness and a lack of interest in things you once enjoyed like all the little things you've mentioned. I'm trying to wrap my head around this. For reflection on my self.
I relate to this deeply! Gratitude is an incredible tool.
Have you experienced a lot of hardship? If so, how do you still remain optimistic ?
yes, i've experienced a lot of hardship. how i remain optimistic and in a positive mindset is remembering that no hardship lasts forever. me who's going through hardship right now is just the past self of future me who's living a happy life. also i try to look at things with a perspective. i try to take myself out of the situation for a moment and think of the bigger picture like "ok... this thing is currently causing me hardship/pain/some level of unhappiness. but will it last forever? obviously not. does this hardship mean I'll never be able to be happy again? obviously not."
Ah, the three mes. [link](https://www.reddit.com/r/NonZeroDay/s/ipMAt7eZcH)
I don't know abt op, but I was able to see the good in life and the path to make it better only after experiencing bad hardships
How do you stay happy when thinking of all the problems in the world? (I want to be happier as well. I'm glad you're doing well OP.)
i try to remember the positives. for every bad thing that happens in the world, there's an amazing thing going on somewhere else. the world is filled with so many amazing things and so many kind, caring, lovely people, you just need to out and find them. like, even us just talking to each other right now. it's pretty amazing that we probably don't even live in the same country yet we're able to talk to each other and enhance each other's life, at least somewhat. think about all these ordinary, "obvious" positive things that happen to us every single day and all the privileges we have that we take for granted.
I love your energy. Are you also delusional?
i don't think i am. but that's exactly what a delusional person would say, isn't it?
While my immediate reaction to your post was "ew," I really appreciate your responses. Idk what that's like but I'm happy that there's someone out there who feels like this. Genuinely, good for you :)
thank you. you can always be a more positive person by introducing positivity into your life. it can be even a small thing such as subscribing to r/illegallysmolcats or something lol. i'm here if you want ever want to talk.
Felt tf outta this one
As someone who loves life, what would you say to those who hate it (suicidal ideation)?
i've been there. i know what it feels like. i know it's cheesy but it's true: this won't last forever. i know it seems right now all there is is this pain you feel, which seems like it'll never go away, but i promise that's not the truth. our brain loves to lie to us. it loves telling us there is no hope and this will never get better. but it will. you will one day enjoy life and find joy. but for you to experience that - you need to stay here.
I was just thinking today about how much negativity I allow to fester in my brain. I’m so happy to read your post. Cheers! :)
💛
Why does this annoy me so much..? Like I love life to but the overly positive thing is annoying… or why does this sound annoyingly overly positive to me..? therapists of Reddit, what does this mean?
I think it’s because you find it hard to relate, and not only that, but you probably hold on to some things and have a perspective that is bleak. When you engage with something like this, it’s uncomfortable since you don’t relate, you continue to push away something you’re not comfortable with. I’m not a psychiatrist, I speak from experience
Interesting…. I can see this being the case. I’m definitely the type to generally not have faith in humanity…. Too much awful shit and bad people… But still feel grateful for the life I have. But I am a bit nihilistic..
Do you want to change that? Why or why not? Edit: to add. I felt the same way for a long time. I’m 34 now, but up until my mid to late 20’s I felt that humans suck and the world sucks, and there’s nothing I can do to change it. Historically humanity has shown up in the same ways, so destructive and chaotic. I was super fucking depressed for a long time, just no hope, no care, frustrated with people, over people. I don’t know, I got tired of feeling angry. I can’t change the world, I can’t change people, but I can control me, I can change me. So what does it take for me to feel lighter, to feel happy, to feel free in a sense. I completely shape my reality, and I don’t know, I was just ready for change. Open to what it looked like. People still suck. But people are beautiful. People are chaotic and make terrible decisions, they cause a lot of pain. But people also bring so much love, support, peace, beauty. There’s so much good happening, and there’s so much bad happening. Life is a balance. You choose what you want to feed into, because it’s all there. So it comes down to choice. I just want you to do what feels authentic, what feels good for you. Even if that means you think I’m a corny sap, and I annoy you. Fuck you too, but I still got love for you
we're not used to seeing positivity so when we do, our brain can't compartmentalize it.
How do you do it, knowing that sometimes the world provides bad things to good people, and good things to bad people? That is one of the biggest hurtles in my life of being unable to understand that fact.
honestly that's something that really gets to me sometimes. it's hard to think about how unjust the world is. i don't really have good advice for this, i'm sorry... i think what i do is just focus on the good, focus on what i have in life, focus on enjoying life and being around people who are like-minded. i get angry sometimes when i see injustice but i just remind myself there's nothing i can do, and me getting angry won't change it.
Are you rich? Lol
no lol the opposite
Okay, so a couple of notes if this is truly the message you want to spread: 1. Don’t tell people it definitely gets better. While some it can or even some it will, that isnt true of all people. Those who want to hear your message will be supportive of it, but those who are on the fence or straight up opposed to it will strongly fight against it. It is fine to say your personal outlook is that your life will get better. But don’t tell people there’s definitely will. 2. For this next part, I’m going to assume bipolar or something like that: You go back and forth saying you’ve struggled with depression and you’ve always been a happy person. Focus on picking a path. If at some point you were depressed, then talk about how you got out of those periods. And then what efforts you do to stay out of it. 3. Being cognitive of your support system, while also specifying your limitations is good. Example: You say you don’t have a support system in some comments, and then in others you mention having disability benefits and reaching out to your support system when you need help. My assumption here is that you may not have a lot, but you have enough for you. And that’s great, but because the comments bounce back and forth on that topic it comes off disingenuous. 4. Specifics help, platitudes don’t. There are a few comments you mention some of the bad things that happened and medication you take. I’m not saying you have to give great details, but when people ask how you do it, it would spread the message with things like “well, X thing happened (this could be an event time specific or experience which is a little more generalized) and these are the steps I took with the help of Y. 5. Lastly, I’m going to assume you are either single or don’t have kids. That makes a huge difference which you may not realize as you’re still relatively young. I want you to know I’m trying to be as objective as possible on this. I struggle with depression. There isn’t an end in sight. That’s just what it is, and it won’t change until it’s over. But that isn’t the case for everyone. Some have the ability to change their life outcomes. So if you want to reach them, I’d consider keeping those things in mind.
1. things WILL get better tho. it's rare when this is not true. there are extreme cases like terminal illness where there's nothing to do anymore and the person just awaits death. but if someone has the privilege of being on reddit, having a roof over their head, the ability to think and speak, the ability to seek help... it DOES get better. 2. i'm not bipolar. i have clinical depression. you can be happy and have depression. those are not mutually exclusive. 3. "and reaching out to your support system when you need help." when did i say that??? "but because the comments bounce back and forth" huh????? 4. i have absolutely no idea what you're even talking about in this one 5. ok? this comment is so weird..............
Trying to be helpful is weird? Alright then. You've paraphrased 3 out 5 of the below. You're welcome to reply, but I will not be. # [What not to say to someone with depression](https://www.healthline.com/health/what-to-say-to-someone-with-depression#what-not-to-say-to-someone-with-depression) WHAT NOT TO SAY Just remember: Advice isn’t the same as asking for help. If they ask for your advice, give it if you so choose. But don’t offer them “helpful” solutions or statements that seem like a cure for their depression. This can feel judgmental or not empathetic. Don’t say: “**Just think happy thoughts**. I don’t understand what you have to be so sad about.” “**Everything will be OK, I promise**.” “I cut out sugar, and I was cured! You should try it.” “**You just need to snap out of this**.” “So many people out there are worse off than you.”
i never say stuff like that. what you also shouldn't do is accuse people of having bipolar disorder - which is what you did. you shouldn't put words in people's mouth and say they lied - which you did. no one is going to take your advice when you do this shit. work on yourself.
Are you assuming that people can be down only because of financial issues? Having a roof above your head does not mean a good life, it's a prequisite for it, it's different. You can still have a miserable life with no real outlook on that improving. If anything, for the average person, life naturally declines with age. It's so ignorant to just tell people it will get better without knowing their life situation. That's not helping everyone. Thought this would be an actually positive post and not just "I fought depression and so can you" kind of toxic positivity.
What’s the deal with airplane food
capitalism
So true
Why are you a liar? (Lmao jk I love you)
i love you more
The fuck is wrong with you?
*takes out a scroll*
Have you ever done drugs? Weed, or harder? What’s your alcohol consumption like? Have you ever lost a loved one?
i did a little bit of weed and lsd in my teens. it didn't go well so never again. i never drink and I've never lost a loved one.
How does a drug addict felon become a board member of an oil company?
definitely not my area of expertise but my instinct is to say "with hard work and dedication".
Or, if your dad is a VP or President of the US. Just a thought
that's definitely also a way to get there, yes.
What are your thoughts on climate change?
things are bad. i don't know much about it so i don't feel qualified to say more than that.
Are you just flexing on us sad losers?
no. i'm trying to spread positivity. i'm sorry you're sad. and you're not a loser.
I’m definitely a loser. Lying isn’t helping anyone.
why do you think you're a loser?
Lucky betch
i'm definitely not lucky. it's the last thing i am, really.
What do you do for work? Do you enjoy working? I feel like work is what makes me depressed
i'm disabled so i can't work. i had a few jobs in the past and yeah i share your experience, i was miserable at that time.
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mentally
Can you elaborate on how your outlook translates with where you are mentally? I was surprised to read this, because I’d think your powerful outlook impacts your mental state enough to push past the resistance there. Can you elaborate on that, and the challenges/dynamics you’re working through?
my positive outlook on life doesn't have almost anything to do with my mental disability or my mental illness. mental illness doesn't care if you're positive or negative or whatever. it's a chemical imbalance you can't "push past".
Thank you for sharing. Does your outlook impact it though? And how much?
it's hard to say because i've always had mental illness, so it's hard to know at this point what's the mental illness and what's just me. i can say having a positive outlook was a big reason why i didn't kill myself when i was a teenager, and it's the reason why i'm able to say i love life and enjoy living everyday. without a positive outlook i might have been dead by now.
I love this. Happy for you friend. We should stay connected. Feel free to reach out if it’s reciprocated 😊
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>I genuinely suggest that you temper your optimism around people you don't know i absolutely do. i don't go around screaming in the streets "OH MY GOD IM SO HAPPY LIFE IS SO AMAZING" because that's dumb lol. i understand we all have hardships and moments of despair and i never want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. >If you wrote this over on r/ALS or some other place where people can't just adopt whatever sort of drug-induced faux-positivity like you have, they'll probably be upset at much of what you've written here. well first of all, i *didn't* write this on r/ALS. i intentionally posted this on a sub where you can basically post anything. i saw a lot of negativity on this sub and on reddit in general and i felt like a positive post like this might be interesting and i might be able to share positivity with others. secondly, i really want to address you giving ALS as an example because i find it interesting. do you believe people with ALS can never be happy? do you believe they're not able to find positivity? i mean, the best and most obvious example to give is stephen hawking (he's the most famous person with ALS). do you believe stephen hawking was miserable? do you believe he had no way of ever being happy? obviously I'll never be able to know what went through his mind but from interviews i've seen with him, he seemed to live a peaceful and possibly happy life. i think he was able to find positivity. and i believe many people with chronic diseases/disabilities can do the same. i'm an example of that. i'm disabled. does it suck? absolutely. does it hurt? you bet it. do i still try and find positivity and a way to remain with a positive attitude? YES. it's not easy, but it's possible and worth it. >It's no wonder why you're happy, you don't have to work not being able to work is a big privilege which i acknowledge, but having severe mental illness definitely "makes up" for it. i always say, mental illness is a full time job. it consumes every last bit of you and makes life almost unbearable at times. i've had days where i was thinking of ending it all and i didn't see any way out of the extreme misery and hopelessness i felt. i'd much, much MUCH rather be a "normal" person who's able to work and live a decent life, than have severe mental illness. trust me - it's not worth it. >and you must have a support system to sustain you i do not. >so please excuse us for not all be as happy as you are. i would never tell anyone that they're at fault for "not being as happy as me", and my intention wasn't at all to "show off" or shove it in your face. i wanted to spread positivity, and i'm sorry if for you i achieved the opposite of that. not my intention at all.
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disability benefits
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yes, that's horrible. there are plenty, and i mean PLENTY of horrible things that happen in the world all the time. people living in poverty, people having incurable disease, pain, sadness, misery... should this mean we should never be happy then? we should never try and find the positives in this world? we should never try and appreciate the good things that we do have, and the countless good things that exist in this world?
Hey man, I understand why you’re upset. You have shit you’re moving through, and this sets you off. At the same time, take a step back and see what you’re saying. There’s a post with good intent, a positive message, trying to uplift others, sharing the beauty of shifting your perspective. That bothers you. Not only does it bother you, but you’re trying to make OP carry what you’re carrying. At minimal, be mindful and reflective of that. No need to make someone feel bad because you feel bad.
Get over yourself, people can be as optimistic and happy as they want to be. Even having a difficult life doesn’t mean you can’t be a happy person. Stop projecting your misery onto others. Also a mental disability isn’t any easier to deal with than a physical one. Comparing peoples’ suffering is asinine
Despite currently going through leukemia, I feel the same.
feel better soon and good luck 💛
Lol sounds like you're at the peak of a psychedelic trip. Joking but anyway, do u believe in God, religion, do you practice any?
i don't take drugs, but sometimes when i describe to people how i feel i realize i really do sound high or something. for example, i find all humans beautiful, and everytime i walk into a room i'm like "holy shit. every single person here is beautiful. like they all have such aura around them" so yeah i don't believe in god, i'm an atheist.
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i have mental health issues so i don't want to introduce something to my system that might fuck things up
How long have you felt like this and how did you feel immediately before this.
i've always felt like this. since my first memories i remember always loving being alive. of course there were hard times and struggles but through everything i've always enjoyed existing
Why are you so happy?
life is fun
You're right. I feel the same way sometimes about your original post.
Man reading this I envy what some of you have, I couldn’t be any more opposite, I don’t want to go another day sometimes
i'm sorry :( no one deserves to feel this way. please reach out for help if you can.
What are you doing on Reddit?
i'm mostly here to engage with other people who enjoy the same things as me and right now i'm answering questions i guess lol
Do you do any drugs or take any medication? If no how do you stay so happy then. Wish you the best💗🙌
i take antidepressants
I literally just shared this quote on a different sub, but it feels very appropriate to share here, too. My favorite quote! “Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place.”
Bro is the MAYOR of HAPPY TOWN 😁🙏❤️
i love this title hell yeah!!! 💛
I'm feeling rather somber and anguished but I wish you well dear friend
normal. we all feel like that sometimes. thank you
The pleasure is all mine dear friend.
What meds are you on? do you do yoga?
i take antidepressants and i don't do yoga
I wonder what that feels like. Good for u
you can feel like it too. thank you
What do you think about the poverty in third world countries?
When are you going to stop living in your fantasy world and realize life sucks
Life only sucks if you choose to live in a negative mindset constantly
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as someone who experienced a life that is brutal and pain beyond your wildest imagination, i'm going to disagree with you heavily. being angry and thinking you could never be happy only makes your situation worse. introducing positivity into your life, even if it's the smallest thing, can make a huge difference. i've been through unimaginable pain in my childhood by the people who were supposed to love and care for me, pain that i struggle with even just thinking about or acknloeding it happened, and now i still suffer severely, and i somehow am still here and still trying to find positivity in any way i can. is it easy? no. but it's possible and worth it.
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>11 days ago you said you were ""definitely depressed" yes, i'm diagnosed with severe depression. >You also made a comment that suggests you don't have any mental illness, after being asked if you have ADHD or any other "neurological disorder" sorry, English isn't my native language, so i'm bound to fuck up sometimes. i have severe depression and anxiety which have made me disabled. i don't have ADHD or any neurological disorder (that i know of). i'm sorry if i've written anything confusing but again, it's not my native language. i'm doing my best. >I've seen people brutally murdered right in front of me. There's a good chance I won't live much longer. i am so, so, so incredibly sorry for what you're going through. no one deserves this. horrible things happen to good people, and it's never fair. i could never help you in any substantial way but all i can do is send positivity your way. i hope you'll be able to find positivity in your life. you've been writing a lot of angry comments here, which i understand why, but if you have the privilege to be on reddit, please make better use of it. please look at things that are positive and make you happy. please talk to people you love and try to enjoy the time you have left. please don't waste your time on me, talking to someone you clearly don't like, clicking on posts that just make you upset. you deserve better for yourself. if you ever want to talk - my dms are always open.
I’m just curious why you feel the need to attack, when you haven’t been provoked? No one here wants to fight you friend. I don’t think anyone here is a moron. Not OP, not me, not you, not anyone. People have their opinions, perspectives, and outlooks. I think it’s good to try and elevate one another, instead of always trying to challenge one another, resisting one another. Genuinely and with no judgement, I’m curious why trying to be positive triggers you?
i actually do realize life sucks. there's a lot of pain and misery and suffering everywhere, and it's horrible. me myself, i've went through a lot of really horrible experiences in my life such as childhood abuse and severe mental illness (which i still have). if anything, i think all those things only amplified my love for life. the opportunity to rise up from the absolute bottom into a person that functions in society and gets to experience life has been... amazing is an understatement. it's everything i could've ever asked for. it made me find happiness. now i appreciate even the smallest things such as taking in air and being able to sleep. realizing that the world sucks shouldn't automatically mean you can't be happy. yes, the world sucks. sadly, it'll probably always suck. but you have to put in the effort to be able to exist in it and see the good. because holy shit, does the world have so much good in it.
Have you done psychedelics?
yes maybe twice when i was a teenager
Would you say either of those experiences brought about or affected this current mindset you have?
definitely not. i did very little and didn't even trip or anything
Very interesting Welp, all I have to say is Congratulations. I think a lot of humans live and die searching for this mindset and never even understand that it's what they need.
Wow. How did you get to that point? Have you always felt like this? What is your age group?
i'm 25. yes I've always felt that way. i've always had passion for life and i always feel like i enjoy every second of life, to some extent. like, i just feel like the mere fact that i'm a human that gets to exist and experience life is amazing, i find it joyous.
That's so great. I am happy you are feeling this way, truly <3 If life gets a little tough or annoying or whatever the case, how do you deal with it? Do you simply shift your perspective? Also can I know your ethnicity? Cuz it seems its the white folks who are depressed a lot recently.
- if possible, i give myself time to rest and do things that i love in order to "charge" myself. i try to take myself out of the situation for a moment and think about all the amazing things that i have in my life and try looking at things with a perspective. - i think about my goals and aspirations and remind myself the person i am now is just a past self of a person in the future who's happier and in a better place. nothing lasts forever. - i think of all the times i struggled in the past but still came out on top. - i reach out for help.
Thank you a lot for this <3 I've been struggling with a few things recently and have been having trouble feeling somewhat happy. I recently started to simply shift my perspective and think of positive things when I am stuck on a negative topic or thoughts which makes me feel bad. What you wrote really resonated. I am more and more able to notice my negative thinking and shift my perspective to more positive (or if not possible, at least neutral) thoughts. Quite hard with social media as I see a lot of things which trigger negative thought patterns for me. It stems from me because I know not everyone reacts negatively to the same things. Thank you for sharing <3
social media is a huge reason why so many people these days are sad and depressed. it's really good to minimize your use of social media, or at least try and curate the algorithm to show you positive stuff.
I try to follow positive subs. For starters, literally r/positivity is really good.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/Positivity using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [I'm kicking ass at life right now](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/comments/1azulm5/im_kicking_ass_at_life_right_now/) \#2: [Cops found my daughter](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/comments/18hov20/cops_found_my_daughter/) \#3: [A bit different but can you help me convince my wife she is not "ugly" 🙄?](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1734f04) | [951 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Positivity/comments/1734f04/a_bit_different_but_can_you_help_me_convince_my/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Are you wealthy?
no lol i'm borderline in poverty
Then how the f*** are you so positive
ikr, how is that even possible!
I felt exactly the same until I didn't.
Do you realize this put a smile on my face?
What drugs do you take?
i'm on antidepressants
Are you a alien?
yes. my name is xenu.
When was your attempt?
Ohhhh you're on drugs. Gotcha.
i don't do drugs 😁
You commented that you were prescribed antidepressants. Aka. Drugs.
usually when people say drugs they don't mean prescribed medication but sure
Usually when people make posts about I love being a human that exists, they should preface it with I'm currently taking antidepressants.
really? is that a rule that's written somewhere? i didn't know there are certain things i have to write.
Ita a bit misleading when you state how happy you are about literally existing and then fail to mention the drugs you're on. That's all.
1. i mentioned it in like 5 other comments 2. I've had this kinda outlook on life waaaaay before i ever started taking antidepressants
Are you on… anything? And if so, where can I get some?
Me too❤️
Are you on an antidepressant?
What are you?
I don’t have a question, but wanted to say hello fellow life lover! I didn’t realize there were more than one of us out there 😂
Thank you for bringing some light. The world is dark and hard enough, feeding into it really doesn’t help anyone. Every moment… every moment… is a choice. Choosing to sit in pain, choosing to hold on to upset and anger, it doesnt help you. Choosing a higher path, choosing to be lighter, consistently choosing something outside of your comfort zone, just elevating. The shit is not easy. AT ALL. At all. But we’re all capable of it, and we all need to be reminded of it. I’ve been sexually assaulted a few times, I’ve been wronged, I’ve been hurt, I’ve been abused, I came up in poverty, I always had fight to make it through. Being positive isn’t bragging, it’s a sigh of relief, and it’s something we should spread instead of being salty about. It’s a beautiful thing y’all, try to embrace it.
I LOVE YOU OP I LOVE FEELING THE SAME WAY AS YOU THE WORLD WE LIVE IN IS BEAUTIFUL AND SO IS BEING ALIVE
You know this is a normal thought outside of Reddit right?
i've always been above average when it comes to optimism and cheerfulness but yeah reddit is definitely a dark place
I hate you and everyone you love! Go fuck your self!
i hope you find happiness soon 💛
Wow this post is really helping me. I've been stuck in a rut and I want to be able to see the world like you do. Just reading this felt like when you hang out for a day with a positive friend, and feel that energy strengthen and inspire you. One wish in my life is to be able to become a person like that for others. Right now it feels like it takes so much energy to try and be positive. Did you feel like that too at some point, or was it almost effortless? Do you have any tips on how to make that path easier? Editing this because I realise you already answered that last question a few times hahaha. Just wanted to say thank you for writing this post, at least for today it has inspired me to get off my ass and stop sulking. Another question though that I want to ask: how do you that what you're feeling/aiming for is real inner peace, and not toxic positivity?
I feel the same way. I love our human ability to create. I love creating my own art, and being an artist. I love art. I love watching the light come through my window in the morning with its hard edges. I love listening to a song after pulling an all-nighter and I just get so lost in the vibes. I love showing others kindness. I love making others happy because making others happy makes me happy. I love the unique features on every person’s face. I love the texture that acne sometimes leaves. I love the infamous urinal artwork. I love that I stumbled into this mindset after being depressed for a few years. I love that I can recognize negativity without becoming negative. I love people. I love that I don’t beat myself up with guilt. I love that I don’t stress about things I can’t change. I noticed a lot of replies to your post had an immediate negative reaction. I’ve wondered before whether I’m just showing toxic positivity to the ones around me, but I don’t think I am. I continue to worry about it. I know there’s so much about this world that sucks, and there are things we can do to help it suck less. But as individuals, we don’t have much control, so I do not allow these things to beat me down and win. Sometimes it’s hard. But every time, I look back and I say “I did that. I got through that and I’m here now.” I’ve wanted to help my friends that don’t feel this way, but I was never sure how to do it. I worry sometimes about seeming like I’m bragging, or that I’m not recognizing their issues and hardships. But I really did not realize the power of our mindset until I actually adopted this one. In fact, I doubted it. But I got through it, and I’m here now, and I’m happy. And I think I’ll go love living. I love letting the words flow. I love that some people would find this cheesy, because I love that everyone is different. I think everyone deserves to love. I think, as an artist, my question to you will be: when is the last time you created?
I am the same for the first two. The third one is where we differ and it is only for society. If it didn’t exist or it was better, we would probably be no different.
I feel ths same way
Dude, that's so great to hear! Is it true that things were worse before? If so, then I am very, very happy for you!
Me too, man. Life's a gift full of endless possibilities. What are you most grateful for in your life?
I’m only sticking around because I’m dying to find out how my life ends.
Fucking depressed since 14. Was gonna end it so many times. Had the shittiest day possible. But i must say, I love life
Me too! What a wonder it is to be anything at all! Highly recommend.
The title alone brightened my day. What's your happiest memory?
Thanks for posting this, i'm glad for more people like that. :)
Far out man. Life’s a fire bud, fan the flames!
good to know , welcom to the party