I’ve been thinking about how “we are all works in progress”.
Depending on where I have been at in my life there have been times when that statement filled me with a sense of comfort and relief. Other times it made me feel exhausted and overwhelmed.
When that statement gives me comfort and relief, I recognize the joy and wonder of the journey. I am able to give myself a break when things do not go as planned. I view each day as an opportunity to grow and learn from my mistakes. I see the humor in the quote “experience is what you get when things do not go as planned”.
When that statement has made me feel exhausted and overwhelmed, I was experiencing depression and/or anxiety. In that mental state, all my energy was spent just trying to meet the basic challenges of each day. In that place I could only hope, as my mom would say, that “this too shall pass”.
Research shows that when we are depressed, our thoughts stay focused on our regrets in the past, our perceived failures in the present, and we feel hopeless about the future. But there is help. Research also shows that treatment is effective. Antidepressant medications and talk therapy are equally effective in treating depression and anxiety. Interestingly, using both medication and talk therapy together appear to be associated with better long term outcomes (defined as fewer recurrences).
The good news is that my mom is right. With the right support, the negative mental state does pass. So spend some time seeing how you feel about “we are all works in progress”. Your response may tell you something interesting about your mental state and whether or not you need some extra support in your life at this time.
