If you know me well then you must know I love writing, though for 11 months now I haven’t written any blog post. I intend to change that in 2020. Having not blogged in a while, I hadn’t envisioned myself making a comeback on such a sombre note. However, the circustamces require that I do so for many reasons. It’s about time we had a candid conversation about some of the things we allow ourselves to get into.

A few days ago I got some very terrifying news. Someone very close to me had made an attempt at suicide but thankfully, the attempt was unsuccessful. Thank God for technology, the note they had written finally found its way to us. The reason for the attempted suicide was Depression.

According to WebMD, Depression is a serious mental illness that can interfere with a person's life. It can cause long-lasting and severe feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in activities. It can also cause physical symptoms of pain, appetite changes, and sleep problems. Mental illness, also called mental health disorders, refers to a wide range of mental health conditions i.e. disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. 

I personally think jealousy and envy fall under this category too, but hey, I’m no doctor.

Going back to the suicide attempt, I don’t think anyone should ever consider taking their life regardless of how terrible or horrible they are feeling. Yes I know some things can be very painful but taking your own life is a complete sign of giving up on yourself. I always tell people this and I will say it again here; you didn’t come to this world by accident, regardless of how you showed up! Whether you were a product of rape, or an unwanted pregnancy it all doesn’t matter. The fact that you are alive today means YOU are not an accidental invention. You are a creation made by God meticulously and handed a very specific purpose and mission to come fulfill here on earth. 

Someone reading this is probably thinking to themselves, you are saying all these things Liz because you have never gone through depression. News Flash! Been there, done that.  Yes I’ve been to the hell of depression and danced with all the devils there. But I am glad I now live to tell a different story. Trust me I know how it feels to be depressed.​

Yes I suffered depression for several years but I never told anyone. However my body took all the brunt of it. The eating disorders, the insomnia, the mood swings, etc. I went through all those phases. Then I discovered something; that depression is not physical but mental. Mental means it is in the mind, meaning it is all in your THOUGHTS.  Thanks to the positive content I started consuming, I discovered that the more I changed what I was feeding my mind, the less depression was attacking me.  But that’s not all, I also joined a faith building church that has helped me grow spiritually to the person I am today. Today when I face battles I know for sure I can’t handle on my own, I know who to turn to because He is always there by my side no matter what is going on. And His name is The Almight God.

I am personally very grateful that the attempt at suicide was unsuccessful. However this left me very worried about the victim’s state of mind; what are they likely to do next? What is going on in their mind now that they didn’t succeed? The last few days have been very tough for me. Not sure anyone in my family knows this but I have hardly slept since I got this information. I’ve been worried and I’ve been wondering. I haven’t even been able to pray. The best I could do is continuously speak the words that my Pastor has been speaking over his congregation since I joined Capstone Fellowship – “none of us shall die before God’s appointed time”. 

The best gift I’ve received today, on this very last day of this decade, is the news that the person finally went through deliverance on Sunday. I now know for sure that spirit has been terminated but we will continue praying for them to be strong and get the right people to surround them.

Guys, there are many things that will go wrong in life. There are many things that will happen that have the potential to distabilize your mental wellbeing, but if you choose to address those issues from a different perspective, then you will overcome. 

When I was going through depression myself, I realized at that time that I actually hated myself a lot. But as I read books and listened to positive content both in terms of spiritual nourishment and personal development, I slowly started appreciating myself until I eventually fell head over heels with myself! More than a decade later, all that is now behind me and even when depressive thoughts attack my mind, I am very quick to kick them out because I now know how to do it. Actually, I have shared alot of those tips in my new book, The Routeen. I finally made peace with myself and if you know me, then you know I love me some Liz.

The point is, nothing should ever drive you or anyone you know to that point of taking their life. Don’t shut yourself at home with your own thoughts because like the saying goes, the devil will build a workshop in your mind. Instead, pick up a hobby that will help you shift your thoughts from whatever misery you are feeling. I remember when I started coming out of depression it's around the same time I picked up my blogging and later jogging habits.

The best way to overcome depression is by depressing the depression itself. How? By not allowing yourself to be depressed. It will not be easy, but it is possible. Remember, you are not here by mistake. You are here by divine choice. Wake up and walk into the next decade like you are divine! Why? Because you are.

 Wishing you life transforming 2020.

PS: If you haven't gotten a copy of The Routeen: A Winning Routine For Teens & Young Adults, then be sure to do so. This is one investment you will not regret making. Infact, consider it a gift to yourself.

Be Ignited. Be Inspired. Be Influenced. Become the best version of yourself you'll ever be.