What cleaning tought me about depression

There are two things in my life recently that I have been putting off for the past few months because "I just ain't feeling it"; My bathroom and my teeth. Today I did both, a major accomplishment if I do say so myself. Believe me, I was so happy to see my shower turn a bright color, and that is no joke. I spent almost an hour on that bathroom and after I thought why did I take so long to take care of this? It took me a bit, but I realized part of the issue was my depression. I came to this realization when I noticed other parts of the house that I personally should take care of are also neglected.

What depression can do is make us feel like maintaining things, like household rooms and personal hygene, seem meaningless in a world that our mind has told us is hopeless, or what ever negative word you could use in your case. Depression can make us feel like we are in a pit, and the idea of trying to maintain anything in this pit has no meaning or merit. The truth of the matter is doing just one thing could help you in your slump.

Now, I'm not saying go clean the garage you've neglected for months right this minute. Don't over do it, or you might never want to try again. I'm talking just do a thing; self-care, hygene routine, write, sit and listen to some music, meditate, take a walk, or even something as minor as going to the box for the mail. This could help you in your current state of depression. I can not say it is a sure fire thing, but it can't hurt. And yes, I know I said this in my last journal, but I want to emphasize it for one reason.

In my opinion, when we are depressed, we are easly swayed to pretty much curl up in a ball and let the bad feelings flow. I know for two months that's all I wanted to do. The world felt heavy with my problems feeling like boulders that are hard to move. Also, the constant doom scrolling of the news didn't help. Then, slowly I got motivated and just doing something like maintain a morning routine, which is really light, made me go 'Hey, that was easy. I wonder what else I could do'. Keep in mind I was, and am still, struggling with the depression. However, to even go 'Ugh! I don't wanna do anyhting, but I'll at least keep up with this one thing' makes me feel something other than just sadness and dispare. So again, this is why I emphasize doing at least on tiny thing. It's not a thing that works for everyone, but giving it a shot won't hurt.