Is it normal to be happy all of the time?Are you anxious or depressed?
Popular media and our society in general tend to teach us that it is normal to be perpetually happy. But is it normal to be happy all of the time?

Before you can overcome chronic depression, it is critical that the following point becomes clear in your mind: depression and happiness are normal states that all of us will and should experience when our lives call for them.

Everything that your body does is for its own good. When your core temperature is too hot, your body will sweat to cool down. When you are too cold, you will shiver to warm up. When you are disappointed by something in life – having a fight with a loved one, not having a loved one, loosing a loved one, loosing a large amount of money, hating the way you look, not getting a job that you really want, feeling like you are useless, or any other painful experience that is common to the human experience – it is normal for you to feel depressed.

A period of feeling low can give your body, mind, and spirit some quiet time to mourn, and then to assess the realities of what is happening to you so that you can learn something that is helpful to you and/or others, and make a decision about how to proceed with your life.

Disappointment over something in your life (A); Depression, doubt, quiet time (B); Assessment of the realities of your life (C); Decision about how to proceed with your life (D).

Unfortunately, many people with chronic depression cannot move past step (B). Their disappointment is so deep that they cannot generate enough momentum to work on step (C) and (D).

Just being aware of all four steps would be essential to experiencing step (C) and (D). Specific dietary plan and mental and emotional exercise can help you move on to step (C) and (D).

Suggestions for life style and diet choices

Exercise

Gentle and calm exercise are beneficial for dealing with stress and depression. For example, walking, slow swimming, tai chi. Exercise in the outdoors with sunshine and a green environment, as the colour green nourishes the Liver (Five Element Theory). We are opening free tai-chi class on Sundays and click here if you want to know more about tai chi.

Diet

I suggest you can eat the following foods more often: coriander, peppermint tea, celery, Chinese white radish, spinach, lemon, green tea, carrot etc.

Rearrange your timetable

Simplify your timetable so you aren’t constantly on the go. Make sure you have quiet time- make time for yourself and have breaks in your daily activities.

When you experience disappointment, I suggest you take some time to rest, but then move on to think about why you are disappointed and what you can learn from the event that cause you to feel disappointed. By going through this process, you might be able to stay on track with the vision that you have for your life.

Please give yourself permission to feel hopeful right now. It is okay that you feel depressed. Your body knows what it is doing, and with the right knowledge and plan of action, you can turn things around.