Better Days Ahead

More than a year has passed since I had my first psychiatric check up; it's been more than a year since I've been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). I've always been open about this circumstance in my life and I've always been striving to be a mental health enthusiast but it's not always the easiest.

I have a lot of things in my mind, as always, but I'd like to share a few things that crossed my mind throughout the year.

Healing isn't the end goal, it's also a mindset. It goes together with discipline and determination. I had days where I gave up when I had a bad morning or didn't even have any morning to begin with. But as time passed by, I've slowly learned to set my mind into thinking that a bad moment doesn't mean a bad day and definitely does not equate to a bad life.

Starting with small steps is already considered progress. Starting with anything is on its own, an achievement. It will be a challenge to finish it or reach the end goal, but you should set your mind into targeting small victories if the long term goals scare you. Let the long term goals serve as inspiration and take those every day tasks as challenges until they become mundane to you—until they become familiar again.

In each waking day that passes, you survive a challenge. Indeed, you are a survivor. And that only means that you become stronger each day.

You learn how to take care of yourself.

You learn how to manage your thoughts.

You slowly get a hold on how to navigate life. 

I don't know where this journey will take me, but I still have this hope for better days ahead. This is one thing that I should never set aside: Never let the idea of hope die, for this means that I still long for brighter moments and a much more stable life. And of course, I wish the same for you.