When we are in the grips of depression or anxiety, we lose touch with reality. We imagine we are alone, and nobody could possibly love us for who we really are. These are cognitive distortions, lies that are fed to us through turbulent emotion.

The truth is, we are not alone. Everyone faces internal struggles from time to time, and they are very similar to yours. It is normal, even healthy, to not always feel on top of the world.

Good versus bad thoughts
When we endeavor to only have “good” thoughts, we get lost in a struggle with the “bad thoughts. In the process, we lose focus to the bigger picture. We may forget the whole purpose of the game, and the fact that the game board contains a wide spectrum of thoughts and feelings. Thoughts and feelings are neither good nor bad. They are neutral and can be used constructively to achieve higher order goals.

Forcing in good thoughts to crowd out the bad does not work; it simply places focus on the battle, without actually making us feel better or solving any of our problems. Rather than getting lost in a battle of the game pieces, you may want to hone your focus onto the whole board: how can you accept and use all the pieces of the game to create a healthy, meaningful life? Can you keep the big picture in mind? How can you use the whole game board to connect with purpose and achieve your goals?