IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Notes from the Coach - The Story so Far
2. Top 5 Things to Know about Depression
3. Top 5 Things that most helped me
4. Notes from the Coach - The Next Step
5. Resources
6. Just for Fun - Newspaper Funnies

1. Notes from the Coach

This is the last edition of Depression Antidotes. But don’t go away!

It’s now more than a year since I started writing Depression Antidotes and I’d like to say a big thank you to all of you for your support and interest. What an adventure it’s been!

It's been some time since I last wrote a newsletter, which, I'm thrilled to say, is not due to my having been depressed. Rather, I find myself at a new fork in the path. I've been unsure which road to take and have been trying out different directions. One thing I've known for a while though is that this will be my last edition of Depression Antidotes.

I've delayed writing this due to my lack of clarity about my next step and because it's hard to stop doing something that has served me so well, taught me so much and contributed greatly to my feelings of success and personal worth. However, I'm sure I will take many of you along with me into the next adventure.

The insights I have gained during the last year have been invaluable to me and (I know from your messages) to a large number of you as well. If you're ready to move on stay tuned (even if you've only just signed up). The next episode will be even more exciting!

Last November I began experimenting with stopping my medication again. I learned so much over the last year and I wanted to put my insights to the test and see how well I can hack it without the Prozac. So far, so good!

To express my gratitude to you all for traveling so far with me I'd like to share with you the most important things I learned through writing Depression Antidotes (For a more in depth look see individual references below).

2. Top 5 things to know about Depression

i) Depression is a treatable and complex illness. It is not your fault. You are not to blame. It does not mean you are somehow defective.

ii) It is not a sign of weakness to seek treatment, in whatever form. In fact, it is a sign of strength.
See Depression Antidotes 003

iii) Recovery is a process. Not something that happens overnight. There will be set backs but if you pay attention, even the set backs will take you forward.

iv) Depression is a part of your identity. Giving up is not easy. You will only be successful if you really want to be. Ask yourself - "is now the time?"
See Depression Antidotes 014

v) In order to move on you need to accept your depression not fight it. From acceptance you will find the wisdom you need to move forward. Take back your energy from the fight and use it to recover.
See Depression Antidotes 017

3. Top 5 Insights that most helped me

i) See your Life as working now
Don’t put you life on hold until you/things improve. Thinking your life is going to be better when you have more of something, are a better/happier/more confident person, have the right job/house/relationship etc is guaranteed to make you feel depressed because you have to live this ‘less than’ life until that future arrives.
See Depression Antidotes 001

ii) "To thine own self be true"
Look after yourself as though you are the most precious thing in the world - because you are. One of the most fertile grounds of depression is putting other people’s needs before our own – putting our integrity with them before our integrity with self. To recover from depression we must learn to live our own truth and to practice radical self-care – even, especially when it makes us feel uncomfortable.
See Depress ion Antidotes 011

iii) If you need Rules to support you make sure they are your own. Give them up the instant they no longer serve you.
See Depress ion Antidotes 004

iv) Get used to hanging out in the void. It’s OK not to know.
See Depress ion Antidotes 012

v) Put first things first and take little steps. Big solutions bring big excuses.
See Depress ion Antidotes 009

4. Notes from the Coach

From the moment I came across Life Coaching I was attracted by the idea of effortless living, of creating the life I really wanted to live and doing it on my terms, without struggle.

First, I needed to handle my depression and now I’m ready to experiment with what I’ve learned and to take my life to the next level.

Between 1992 and 1997, Thomas Leonard, with the input from hundreds of coaches at Coach University, developed 28 personal and business success strategies, called the 28 Principles of Attraction. This particular approach to life excites me because you can start immediately, you can give up ideas such as “commitment” and “willpower” and you can work with whichever principles appeal to you personally, with the same result.

I have decided to spend the next year experimenting with the Attraction Approach. I want to increase my understanding and experiment with the 28 principles, developing what works and playing with the whole idea of effortless living.

An important part of the process will be my new ezine – Simply Attraction. Like Depression Antidotes I will be sharing my personal journey and insights as well as providing information relating to attraction in general, in depth discussion of the 28 principles, useful resources and, as always, a touch of humour. I will also be creating a new web site dedicated to the Attraction approach.

Attraction will appeal to you if you’re someone who intuitively knows there is a less stressful, more effective and easily sustainable approach to a happy and successful life. If only you could find it!

If that’s whetted your appetite do nothing, except maybe explore the resources below, and you’ll receive the first Simply Attaction ezine shortly. If attraction isn’t your thing at this time then simply unsubscribe yourself from this list (see end) with my best wishes for a fulfilling future.

5. Resources

**http://www.thefreesite.com**
This is the most comprehensive of all the internet free sites I’ve come across. All the sites are reviewed and represent a great election of freebies available on the Net. It is updated daily.

6. Just for Fun

___From the Churchdown Parish Magazine: ___
'Would the Congregation please note that the bowl at the back of the Church labelled "For The Sick", is for monetary donations only.'

___ From The Guardian concerning a sign seen in a Police canteen in Christchurch, New Zealand: ___
'Will the person who took a slice of cake from the Commissioner's Office return it immediately. It is needed as evidence in a poisoning case.'

___ From The Times: ___
A young girl, who was blown out to sea on a set of inflatable teeth, was rescued by a man on an inflatable lobster. A coast-guard spokesman commented, "This sort of thing is all too common these days."

___ From The Gloucester Citizen: ___
'A sex line caller complained to Trading Standards. After dialing an 0891 number from an advertisement entitled "Hear Me Moan" the caller was played a tape of a woman nagging her husband for failing to do jobs around the house. Consumer Watchdogs in Dorset refused to look into the complaint, saying, "He got what he deserved."

___ From The Daily Telegraph in a piece headed
"Brussels Pays 200,000 Pounds to Save Prostitutes": ___
"... the money will not be going directly into the prostitutes' pocket, but will be used to encourage them to lead a better life. We will be training them for new positions in hotels."

___ From The Derby Abbey Community News: ___
"We apologize for the error in the last edition, in which we stated that Mr Fred Nicolme is a Defective in the Police Force'. This was a typographical error. We meant of course that Mr Nicolme is a Detective in the Police Farce."

Have a wonder-filled month!

Nancy

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