I recently started a new job after having looked for many years. I feel proud of myself for having never given up looking to improve this part of my life and it has given me encouragement to tackle other parts.

I feel in control now when in the past I may have buckled under the pressure of a long commute and working with people who were narcissistic and selfish.

Two years ago, my partner was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and my mother passed away a month later. This double whammy floored me and managing my life and my partner's wellbeing has been exhausting. I soon realised I just had to get on with life and do the best I could.

At times like this, you really find out about yourself and your limits and it's quite enlightening to see how much you are able to adapt to. Whatever life threw at me, I found some inner strength to keep things going.

I now take one day at a time, enjoy every moment, and treat life as a gift, which it is, of course.

I am kind to myself, laugh at my mistakes, set my own bar low as I trust that I will always do my best.

I have learnt to love myself as much as I do others in my family, and it brings an inner comfort to my heart that I am at this stage of my journey of recovery.

The little things now bring the greatest reward - seeing a baby's smile in a supermarket queue, or watching nature shed its leaves from autumnal trees in the garden.

Identify the beauty in your life, pat yourself on the back for that job well done, treat yourself to an imaginary inner hug, it releases beautiful endorphins to improve mood.

Always remember there is no one qualified enough to judge you, apart from your good self, and you owe it to yourself to be fair to the most important mind going - yours.

What have you done to make yourself proud recently?

What do you do to keep going, uniquely for you?

Martin

A Moodscope member.