I have been counseling a lot of people in the last year trying to help them with depression. It seems to be epidemic right now with all the upheaval in our culture. What I have found is that most don’t have an activity that is emotional energy renewing in their life. vacations are good but they are to far apart to really be of much help. For our physical energy, we sleep and eat every day, not once a year, so we need something like that to fill our emotional gas tank, something that is at least weekly, and preferably several times each week. Many don ‘t because they are so busy and don’t think they have time. That makes as much sense as not stopping to put gas in your car when empty because you will be late for work if you do.

Some things that don’t work that many think will. Watching television is the most common activity by those who think that it relaxes and renews them. It doesn’t, and in fact it will be more draining than filling. Television viewing is pretty much a total waste of time in light of what it positively accomplishes in our life. Another is sitting and doing nothing which is what many struggling with depression do. Most often the mental activity when that is done is negative which is a super emotionally draining activity. Accessive sleeping is also of little help in filling up our emotional gas tank.

It would be nice if there was a list of things that worked well for everyone but there isn’t, we are all different, and what revives us is also different. So, your number one goal ought to be to experiment and figure out what works for you. High achievers are almost always operating with a nearly full gas tank of passion and fire, because they know what works for them.

Friday I am going up to Portland to the “Swap Meet”. That is an event at the Expo Center that has hundreds if not thousands of antique and classic cars and trucks and hundreds of venders selling parts to every old car ever made. I am going up with a good friend and a grandson. Based on past experience the day will fill my tank to full and overflowing. The combination of an activity that I enjoy, time spent with a grandson that I love, and the fellowship with a good friend that has a history of renewing my emotional energy works well for me. For many, it would be boring and exhausting, so I am not saying it would work for you, but some things will, so be obsessed with figuring out what those things are. Life is too short to spend much time in a blue funk.