The CathARTic System

Overcoming Those Dark Thoughts (Pushing Through)

This episode was a serious struggle as I battled the eye of the storm of my depressive cycle, forcing myself to just do it anyway even though I felt it wasn't right. We can be our own worse enemies. There is no such thing as "PERFECT". If we spend all our time waiting for things to be just right, then we will miss out on life. I was truly in a war with my own dark intrusive thoughts.  An intrusive thought is an unwelcome, involuntary thought, image, or unpleasant idea that may become an obsession, is upsetting or distressing, and can feel difficult to manage or eliminate. What else can you do to feel more positive? 1. Focus on what you are feeling right now. If you're sad, feel the sadness. ... 2. Share your feelings with someone close to you. Everyone has negative thoughts from time to time. ... 3. Do something nice for yourself. ... 4. Take time to count your blessings. ... 5. Eat well. ... 6. Make social connections.

Forgiving Yourself

Is forgiveness really necessary? Do you really need to forgive in order to move on? Forgiveness is the act of making what is broken whole again. Focus on YOUR emotions. ... 1. Acknowledge the mistake out loud. ... 2. Think of each mistake as a learning experience. ... 3. Give yourself permission to put this process on hold. ... 4. Have a conversation with your inner critic. ... 5. Notice when you are being self-critical. ... 6. Quiet the negative messages of your inner critic.

The Truth About Compassion (What You Don't Hear)

Self-compassion is the practice of showing yourself the same compassion you would show someone you care about in moments of failure or difficulty. It allows us to recognize our limitations and flaws while showing ourselves kindness as we accept them or work through them. Every individual deserves to have healthy relationships with others, but they also deserve to have healthy relationships with themselves.