What are you proud of?

Everyday life. How was your day?

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Jtw
Posts: 64
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:58 pm

What are you proud of?

Postby Jtw » Sun Mar 24, 2019 11:41 am

Depression is a terrible thing that makes everything seem so much worse. But it's not all bad, there are things we're all proud of, little splinters of light at the end of the tunnel. What are the things about yourself and your life that make it bearable?

Here's mine...

1) I'm a vegetarian. I know that to a lot of people, that's nothing to be proud of but it means a lot to me. I'm against animal cruelty and won't kill anything for my own convenience. I'm not a vegan, I do eat eggs but I make sure they're freerange. It's a healthier lifestyle and I'm pretty proud of sticking with it for a decade now.

2) I don't medicate. I don't take any kind of prescription drugs, and never have. I exercise every day, which helps to control the depression, and I get by.... just.

3) I'm not my dad. My biggest fear in life is ending up like him. He has a genius-level IQ and did absolutely nothing with it. He never did anything, just rotted away in front of a television. My family can trace their roots back a thousand years in the same spot he still lives in now.

4) I'm a good teacher! We had a proper 25-year veteran teacher work with us last month. He said i was one of the best teachers he'd ever worked with. I work hard for my kids and they love me. I had a student once who had tried to take his own life. I lectured him about following his dreams once in front of the whole class after he said he wanted to be a professional video-gamer but his parents laughed at him. He mailed me two years later and told me there are only 2 people qualified in the whole country to play in online tournaments and he's now one of them and it was because of what I had said to him.

There's probably more... But let's hear from others.

Starbuck
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 1:34 pm

Re: What are you proud of?

Postby Starbuck » Sun Mar 24, 2019 9:31 pm

That is really amazing! (I feel like a broken record when answering your posts, but I promise the whole great! awesome! amazing! sentiment behind it, is very much real). I'm sorry to hear about your Dad, sometimes people really are too smart for their own good, and it ends up being a handicap rather than an advantage. Maybe you never wanting to end up like him made you push even harder, and maybe that was his "purpose" in this life. To be a warning sign of sorts. Which is sad, and nobody wants to hear :( But also, true.

And the last part, well, that part alone is worth living for. I don't know the root of your depression, but I'm guessing what keeps it alive is what you see on a daily basis, the world around you, the sad and the ugly stuff you can't really unsee. Not to mention the daily grind that can be so draining. BUT, you are doing your best, and you are doing good, and you are making an impact on people's lives. You have a LOT to be proud about. And I am proud to know that people like you still exist in this world. So thank you, and keep up the good work :)

Jtw
Posts: 64
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2019 9:58 pm

Re: What are you proud of?

Postby Jtw » Mon Mar 25, 2019 1:18 am

I know I'm not changing the world out here but you do make little differences to people in a positive way and that's what keeps me going. I had an email last week from a student who I've not heard from since 2016. She wanted a reference for an internship at the American embassy, and I was her favourite teacher, and the one she trusted most! That kind of thing still brings a smile to my face!
I have one ex-student who got very attached. She started telling everyone I was like a dad to her. Roll on 3 years and now I've helped her get a job teaching and she's my son's godmother.

Starbuck
Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2019 1:34 pm

Re: What are you proud of?

Postby Starbuck » Mon Mar 25, 2019 7:19 pm

But you ARE changing the world! You are just doing it one person at a time. Imagine if we all did the same?


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