During the first half of my life, I tried to find THE solution to my depression and anxiety — a cure that would forever eradicate my symptoms. I was a gullible consumer of dogmatic books and advice promising Nirvana: by balancing my gut bacteria, by committing to a daily meditation practice, by taking fish oil and vitamin D, or by sweating out my toxins through hot yoga six times a week.
While those are all pieces of my recovery program today, none of them alone provided the answer. After years of meandering down dead-end paths, I arrived at the hard realization that I would forever be with some symptoms. My mood disorder is simply complex and chronic.
So instead I attached myself to the words of Vivian Green: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Instead of fretting the sadness and panic, the interruption in sleep and concentration, I try to manage them. I try to live AROUND them.
This critical shift in my philosophy has resulted in more emotional resilience. However, it takes work to sustain. Here are some strategies that help me to keep dancing in the rain.
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