Dealing with Depression

Reality check: you are never going to be perfect.

In one of my favorite movies, (“Silver Linings Playbook”) the protagonist says, “You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest and if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining.” The first time I watched this movie, this line really sunk in. I lost the idea that I could fix everything and I realized that I’m never going to be whole…and that is okay.

For me, getting through life isn’t about being amazing and perfect at all that I do. It’s about working hard, staying positive, and playing for those silver linings. I bombed a test this week. But I also got to sit in the grass on my beautiful college campus and watch petals fall like snow from the cherry trees. I felt friendless this week. But I also got to have sushi and watch movies with my boyfriend. I felt suicidal this week. But I also got to hug my baby sisters and see how happy they were just to see me. For every tear I cry, there’s at least a thousand smiles tied up in a memory.

Guess what? I’m still depressed. But none of us are ever going to live a life where nothing gets us down. We are never going to be perfect, but the beauty of it all is that we do not have to be. Life isn’t about being flawless. It’s not about being at 100% all the time. It’s about doing the best you can and looking for your silver lining.
I’m not going to say that you will never have problems because that would be a lie. You will struggle. You will hurt. The wounds will be raw for a long time and it will seem like nothing’s going your way. But that’s life. We have to accept that the only thing we can do is keep trying and keep pushing forward together. Fighting for perfection will never solve anything, but muddling through life and cherishing the silver linings can bring a ray of hope into times of pain.

Girl Spring

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