This morning, I woke to find out I’d made a mistake. I’d sent out a marketing email for my day job to tens of thousands of people, and it contained several mistakes. I hadn’t proofread it. I phoned it in. One kind person (very long time business friend) replied and pointed out all my flaws (but really, in a kind way). He’d been in my shoes a bunch of times over the decades. We’re both veterans of this and we both knew I rushed and was lazy and careless because I couldn’t care less.

The worst way to market, ever, is without care. It rings louder than any words or images you’ll ever send.

“Alone” is a Useful Tool

Away from your screens and out into the wilds, you can look off into nothing and let out some of the ravel that fills your head. You can just listen and breathe and watch nothing important for a while. Don’t set a timer. Phone away.

I found out that I’d made the mistake maybe 30 minutes ago, and I have meetings and I can’t run off right now. So I have this picture (this specific one above) up on my big monitor, and I have my earbuds in, and I’m playing some YouTube channel’s version of winter forest sounds.

Even at my desk, I can get away. Kind of.

Upright and Out

My favorite place to be when I’m dealing with depression is in bed. “Favorite” suggests I think I have a choice. And some days, I don’t find that to be accurate.

But when I feel the pull to get in bed and take on the thump of depression, I try (sometimes hard, sometimes not) to get upright and out. Standing in the grandeur of these foggy marshes feels like a better choice (when I can make it) than burying myself in my sheets and listening to the repetitive script that goes along with moments where you make a mistake.

If I can get up and get out, I’ll be able to deal with the chemicals a little better than if I get tangled up in bed.

Stop Scrolling

The little yellow sign in this picture reads: “When flooded turn around don’t drown.” (Not a lick of punctuation, mind you.) It’s quite literal. But I like how it points to one way to help when you’re feeling overwhelmed or sad or many other feelings. Overstimulated, even.

Turn into solitude. Not isolation. Solitude is the act of realizing that you are alone in an environment where you can accept it all: who you are, where you are, the situation.

When I’m feeling a certain kind of way, I have a mantra I use:

• I am fed

• I am dry

• I am safe

• I am loved

If I can say at least three of these are true, I probably will be able to keep going a while longer. Even if two of them are true, I’ll still push forward. And if all I have to cling to is that I am loved, I’ll take it.

Because we’re never entirely alone.

Get out and find some solitude. Even if you take someone with you. Look out at everything else and breathe and realize that the mistakes happen and life continues (one hopes). Apologize if you have to, and move forward.

And seek more solitude than stimulus. We’re getting overfed on the latter.

Chris…

Share