Depression can be a strength
People often think that depression is a weakness, but depression is also a strength. What might seem as a bitter test of life can often be an opportunity in disguise.
Everything in life has a cycle, it’s a law of nature. Sometimes we seem to be riding a wave of goodness where positive things happen to us and sometimes we feel stuck.
The question is not how often “we fall” but how we “come back” from it.
The ability of humans to turn challenge into opportunity is truly amazing and it has been proven time and time again. Many different people in many different situations all over the world are living proof.
The power of mindset
What gives people the ability to overcome challenge and reinvent themselves to achieve their dreams?
There is no special trait that makes them different but there are certain abilities that we can practice to train our minds into seeing opportunities.
This can be really important specially when dealing with depression.
Where to start
I deal with depression myself on a daily basis. While it is very hard to find focus and energy to get better, I realised that the negative thoughts inside of me telling me had to come from somewhere. If I could tap into the source of those thoughts then I could improve my chances of getting better.
In the end, the only thing that is powerful enough to determine if we accomplish our dreams is our belief of whether or not we can get there.
A lot of people may not want to admit it, but we actually do not believe we can. We are ready to give up before we even try because it is “safer”.
When I took part in Professor’s Laurie Santos “The Science of Well-being” from Yale University, I learned about the importance of developing a growth mindset.
In order to build resilience and get closer to fulfilling the things that are important for me personally I need to believe that I can.
Carol Dweck, Ph.D. at Stanford University has done works in the fields of developmental psychology, social psychology and personality psychology to examine mindsets.
A mindset is what people base theirselves upon while dealing with everything that life throws at them. Whether it’d be art, school, relationships, sports or business.
The fixed mindset and the growth mindset
Dr. Dweck talks about a fixed mindset and a growth mindset:
The fixed mindset believes that intelligence is static. Phrases like “you were born that way” identify with this type of mindset. It creates a tendency to avoid challenges, to value appearing smart and they to not tolerate frustration.
When faced with failure this mindset leads people to give up and reinforce the belief : “I am not good at this”.
On the other hand, the growth mindset believes that intelligence can be developed. It sees challenges as opportunities to learn. It creates a tendency to keep trying when presented with obstacles (even after failing repeatedly). It finds new ways to improve until it reaches the goal.
The growth mindset, is the only difference between living a life of self-fulfilment and a life of conformism.
Your own view on yourself can determine everything, even your happiness, your own health and your own wealth.
All the stories I have ever read about people who have achieved their dreams began with the conviction of this person that they could do it.
Whether it was to become a successful business person or a world class athlete. A belief, followed by a good amount of time working hard and failing to get there.
None of those people got it for free. They made mistakes, they were frustrated, they faced obstacles, experienced losses, but they did not stop. They took their mistakes and learned from them until the only way left for them to go was the top.
My personal experience
This ability is in every single one of us and we can train it. The only difference is that not everyone wants to pay the price. Not everyone wants to challenge their fixed mindset and think: “I can do this and I will do this”.It really is all it takes to live your best life.
A lot of parents program their children into believing that “they are not good at this or that”, that “they were not born for this or that” and that is a pattern that we carry all through our adult lives.
But I am sure that with dedication and patience, we can all develop a growth mindset and improve our lives.
We can all transform our difficulties into strengths. In my case, I even believe that depression can be a strength.
