Changing your attitude to aid mood & motivation Suggestions /comments welcome

[Elizabeth CP]

I have been thinking that one of the issues with dealing with depression & other mental illnesses is the influence out attitude has on our mood & motivation. We become tired so everything seems hard & unrewarding thus affecting our mood leading to a downward spiral. I thought if I could work at changing my attitude to things I do it might help. For example: Instead of thinking  Ï have to clean the house which leads to negative thoughts such as I'm too tired'', It is pointless because it will just get messed up again. ' The positive thought to counteract these negative attitudes is 'I enjoy sitting in a clean & tidy room & it is so much easier to find things if everything is in the right place so I will spend X hours a couple of times a week to ensure the house remains how I like it. 

Instead of saying I have to paint the house. I'll start painting the bedroom this week in my favourite colour. I look forward to a new fresh look. Only think about the other rooms once the bedroom is done so you aren't worried about the whole house.

Perhaps other people have comments & suggestions because it is easy to slip back into negative self talk & attitudes & doesn't come natural to change to the positive attitude when you are depressed.

[White_Rose]

Hello Elizabeth

These are great positive thoughts. Can I suggest you read the thread in Anxiety, Does it ever go away?  Some good ideas and a great post from JessF.

Mary

[Elizabeth CP]

Thanks Mary. I can't find the thread you suggested. I found similar threads but no posts from JessF

[submeg]

Hi Elizabeth,

 One thing I do is to try to catch myself when I am thinking negatively or about something that makes me feel unhappy. Noticing I am doing it means that I can go, "ah, I'm thinking about y again" and gives me the ability to step back from the thought, recognise it for what it is, purely a thought, and then aim to focus on something else.

In thinking about unpleasant tasks, yes, finding a positive reason (why you need/have/want to do it) helps in making the task a little less tedious.

[White_Rose]

The post is in Anxiety, called Do you think it completely goes away? and was started by Scotty2013. JessF post is currently last but one.

Mary