Written by Karl Perera BA, MA, DipLC
Updated: March 30th, 2020

You Have Only One Life to Live: So Live it Positively!

one life to live positively
Focus on the positive!

The sad truth is that from the moment you are born, the clock is ticking. You only have one life to live. It’s just a matter of time before you die. No one has the ability to foresee the future, so no one knows just how long they will live. With that said, making the most of every single day is something to strive for, despite difficult times that you will inevitably face throughout your life. 

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Living With a Mental Illness 

It’s not a perfect world, otherwise, everyone would have the same abilities, and problems like diseases and illnesses would not exist. While you can’t change the cards dealt to you, you can find ways to make your life happy and fulfilling. Some type of mental illness affects approximately one in every five adults, with anxiety and depression among the most common. Anyone can have moments where they feel anxious or depressed, and actually, it’s perfectly normal. The problem lies in how often you feel this way. For instance, if you wake up every day feeling sad and blue, that’s not normal. Remaining in a constant state of depression can alter your life drastically. It can rob you of your health, prevent you from having sound relationships, from keeping a good job, and even cause you to have thoughts of suicide

Additional Problems 

Living with a mental illness can cause you to make poor decisions regarding your life. You may pick up drinking to drown your sorrows or turn to drugs as a way to feel good. Unfortunately, either one produces only a temporary state that camouflages the problem instead of healing. And, if you continue down this road of reckless, irresponsible behavior, you’re destined to develop serious health issues in the future.   

Seeking Help 

The good news is that you don’t have to live your life alone in sadness. Mental illness is something you can control. There are many depression treatment options available that don’t include pharmaceuticals. Speaking with your doctor and fully disclosing your feelings will expose your mental illness and help you get the therapy you need to experience a full recovery. 

Positive Outlook 

People who live with depression often view the glass as half empty instead of it as half full. Changing the viewing to the latter and adopting a positive outlook versus thinking every thought negatively will actually help you to heal and feel good. One way to achieve this is to surround yourself only with people who live life through positive thinking and avoid those who think everything in the world is doom and gloom. 

It’s Your Life 

Depression takes a piece of you every day until there’s nothing left to do but vegetate in a corner. Instead of giving in, fight back, and start to live. Do things that make you feel good. 

Exercise is one way that people living with depression are rejoining society. You already know that a workout trims fat, burns calories and restores energy. However, what you may not know is that exercising forms new patterns in your brain that naturally induce a sense of calm and well-being. On top of that when you get out on your own for a long run or a brisk walk, the combination of silence and fresh air allow you to collect your thoughts positively. And, with a regular exercise routine that you can replicate 2-3 times per week in place ,you can naturally thwart off many depressing moments. 

Another thing which can really help is cultivating a can-do attitude. Believing in your ability to rise above it all will not only give you hope but encourage you to improve. Take a look at how this belief in yourself can help you.

Nobody ever said that life is fair. Everybody on the planet has something that they deal with either mentally or physically.  While mental illness may temporarily cause a setback, it doesn’t have to dictate your life.

Website Author Bio

Karl Perera is a fully qualified Life Coach, Teacher and Author of Self Esteem Secrets. He has overcome severe depression and now helps others to do the same. His qualifications include Masters and DipLC. He has taught at various universities including Durham University, University of Leicester and Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. He is a member of Mind. He founded Depression-Helper.com in 2001 and is an expert in Depression and Self Esteem.