“There is suffering in this world. To live is to suffer.” – Buddha

There is no avoiding the fact that this chapter may come across as harsh to some readers. It will contain some suggestions that if taken on face value may seem offensive, insulting or uninformed. If you feel this way, please do continue reading to the end as I will hopefully clarify my position adequately, as well as potentially give you another tool to combat depression.

There is a real risk that we will come across a line of reasoning or a thought process that makes us question our own existence, makes us doubt the point of living, or otherwise traps us into a downward spiral of mental affliction as we ruminate over the consequences of our newfound knowledge – a ‘Philosophical Trap’.

 “Good things are coming down the road. Just don’t stop walking.”  – Robert Warren Painter Jr

Keep persisting towards your goals. Recognise that it is only through years of experience, work, and overcoming failure and setbacks that you will be successful. If you quit, you guarantee your failure.

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“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.” – Napoleon Hill

Recognise that it will never feel like the right time to take action, and that there will always be a reason not to follow your dreams. Do it regardless. Taking action is the only way to achieve success.

Daily meditation will help you to reduce the severity and duration of distressing thoughts, emotions, moods and mind-frames by getting you out of your head and into the present moment.

It will give you some space between you and your mental phenomena, allowing you to observe what is happening without falling into it completely.

You can’t be as good a parent, sibling, friend, employee, boss, or anything else if you are emotionally drained, compromised, or suffering from a mental affliction.

The better you are, the better you can help others.

“You have heard the saying ‘Analysis creates paralysis.’ You can’t be 100% sure of anything.” – Mark Burnett

The less decisions that you have to make, the more mental space you can devote to what actually matters. Slowly eliminate as many decisions as possible.

“As you live by your values, your sense of identity, integrity, control and inner-directedness will infuse you with both exhilaration and peace. You will define yourself from within, rather than by other people’s opinions or by comparison to others.” – Stephen Covey

Think of the last time that you accomplished a goal. How long did your happiness last for? How long did it take before you came down from the high, and began focusing on the next challenge? I’m going to guess that it wasn’t long.

“Your Attention Please: No one is coming to save you. This life of yours is 100% your responsibility.” - Anonymous

What can you do right now to change your life? This chapter will get you started.

It is time to take stock of what screen time is actually costing you, not just in terms of time, but also sanity.

Advertisements work. Social conditioning (judging yourself against your perceptions of others) impacts your mental health. The 24/7 news cycle is depressing.

Imagine if somebody came up behind you and dumped a bucket of iced water onto your head. No warning. One second you are warm and dry and the next you are freezing and wet.

What are the chances that you would still be thinking the same thoughts?

“Make not your thoughts your prisons.” – William Shakespeare

I have noticed a peculiar thing about my mental afflictions, they come with a warning system, kind of like a weatherman’s forecast.

My internal weatherman is not perfect, but he often provides me with some vital warning signs that can help me avoid an oncoming catastrophe. Sometimes the signs line up and I am in for a week of mental anguish, emotional turbulence, and significantly diminished functionality. Other times the storm innocently passes by and I am quickly back to my normal self.

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands – your own.” – Mark Victor Hanson

Goals act as motivating guide posts to keep you on the path of following your dreams. Write them up, put them on your wall, and look at them everyday.

“Hope for the best. Plan for the Worst.” – Lee Child

A crisis plan outlines what you would like to occur when you are going through a mental health emergency It acts as a trigger for action that when implemented, takes you through the steps necessary to get the help that you may need.

It is impossible breathe deeply with a slouched, tense, ‘anxious or depressed’ posture. This physiological change of posture will send a signal to your brain and your mood will begin to change.

So take 10 slow and deep breaths right now. Sounds cliche, but it works. Give it a try!

“Learning how to learn is life’s most important skill.” – Tony Buzan 

No matter what you want to accomplish in life, one thing is certain, it will require learning. Therefore the skill of learning is one of the most important things to develop. If you know how to learn, every possibility is open to you.

Your mind and body are completely interconnected.

It is difficult to remain in a sound mind when you are feeling lethargic, sick, bloated, tired, run-down, or in pain.

You literally are what you eat.

Take stock of your financial situation: review your current expenses, and divert spending towards what you value. Pay off any debts starting with the highest interest rate first. Buy the best quality tools that you can afford and share wherever possible.

Some of the most common questions about meditation relate to posture. ‘How should I sit? Should I open or close my eyes? What do I do with my hands? Can I use a chair and a cushion? What if I don’t have the flexibility?’ Depending on the tradition of your instructor, you will receive different answers to these questions, some of which will be contradictory, all of which will seem very convincing.

I lift every morning and often train at night as well. Beyond the gains to my strength and fitness, lifting has taught me lots about life. It has reinforced certain things and confirmed others.

Here are ten life lessons I’ve learnt in the iron church: