I think I'll take boeuf...Why don't you start with one?

I was lucky enough to have TWO cousins (C and W) in town over the weekend! It was great I love my cousins! One is actually still here and will be for about another two weeks! YAY! We of course did a lot of the touristy stuff that me and my other cousin A (who lives here as well) are sick of. I have a very close family and we all have a very similar sense of humor and so this past weekend was just so funny! Yay cousin bonding!

I have had a couple people (both bloggers and non-bloggers) ask me what I did to bring about my change in outlook and the truth is that I just made a choice to look at the positive. It was as simple as that. I know now that I have it pretty good and I can enjoy all that I HAVE or lament the things that I want or the things that are going wrong.

I was diagnosed with a pretty serious case of depression when I was about 12. It's something that I struggle with. I have never been on medication and I am not in any form of regular treatment. In the past 14 years I have gotten it under control and I realize that I can use my depression as an excuse or I can rise above it. This is not to say that I have done anything special because believe me I haven't I am fully aware that people have it a lot worse than me and I am not going to try to say that I believe that everyone with depression can go without treatment, it's all about what works for each person. I have to fight and fight hard some days just to get out of bed, but I recognize that those days MAKING THE DECISION to get out of bed is half the battle. My depression is just my little obstacle and I am not nor have I ever let it run my life. But at the end of the day it has to be MY decision.

I can't stand when people trivialize other people's problems saying things like "well you know it could be worse..." and the like. It makes me so angry when other people try to tell me how to feel and so I am not going to try to tell you all how to feel. Every situation is different. I am in a position where my life is relatively stress free, meaning that I am lucky enough to have a steady job and have money in my pocket, so my ability to look at the positive side is easy. That is not the case for everyone. My recommendation for anyone trapped in that dark hole that you can't get out of is to find something that inspires you, a saying or a person, or whatever and when you feel low think about that, then think of the stuff going wrong and focus on that which you can change and do something to change those things. That's just my suggestion, as I said every situation is different and no situation is trivial, the worst thing you can do for yourself is to feel guilty about feeling the way you do. When YOU are ready YOU will snap yourself out of it, no one can do that for you. Focus on the good and the stuff that you can change and try to accept the things that you can't. No one's world will ever be perfect we just have to make the best out of the cards we're dealt. Good luck!

So I hope that whatever corner of the world you are in you are doing well and I hope you all have a great day!