The day I started talking to myself
This was the day when my loneliness was almost suffocating me. My loneliness had been with me, as a constant companion and one I really didn’t want and often railed against it. It never helped me with my depression; in fact I think it was one of the main drivers of my depression. On this particular day I started talking to me. I had done this most of my life but the conversations were always negative, self-judging, and often mean. But this day was quite different, I started talking out load, not loudly but rather quiet in fact. I was instantly aware of my own voice, it wasn’t as I normally hear it, it was soft and gentle and I was also very aware of how caring it sounded.

I started by asking myself what I wanted, Peace came the immediate answer, and I waited – no judgement came. OK how was I going to find peace? Love - came the next word in my mind. And that is where the conversation stopped – it was a short conversation.
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I chose to just be with my very short first, non-judgmental, out loud conversation with myself. And now I am looking at love, self-love, and wonder why that is such a painful place to be. Where are your painful places in your head? What do they stop you from achieving? I would love to hear from you about your journey to self-love.

You can send your thoughts on your own self-love journey to me at Catherine@lifeconsulting.co.nz
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Getting Started
Two words, two simple words uttered millions of times in a life time, that could mean ‘making a move’, ‘taking action’, ‘starting off’ - whatever, but for me this Blog and those two words have been the biggest challenge I have faced in a very long time. Leaving my salaried job, selling my house, packing up  and moving, on my own, all of this was easier than getting started on this Blog – my very first. So what is so hard about writing something, anything? I could make it light, clever, even funny.

I believe that the challenge is all about self-exposure, because this Blog is about depression, about living well with depression, and about launching the Facebook book page Living Well with Depression. For a long time I have wanted to work with people for whom depression is an experience they live with every day, and an experience I lived with daily for 10 years.  The driving force to finally get words on a page is the passion I feel to assist those who want support in their daily lives to see that there are others to share the journey with. Depression is lonely and isolating.

​The Facebook page, there is an open page, and a Closed Group page for ongoing group support, is there for you, to make contact, to find inspiration, learn about Workshops I am running , and in time, to build an online community of small groups of member to meet online for regular ongoing support.
So finally – I have started. Phew!

www.facebook.com/groups/livingwellwgtn/