depression

Our complete collection of resources dedicated to overcoming depression:

Beliefs and Reframing
Negative Emotions
Positive Emotions
Health and Exercise
Relationships
Goals and Motivation
Mindfulness and Meditation
Meaning and Purpose


Beliefs and Reframing

Strengths Worksheet (PDF)
This fun and easy worksheet will teach you how to identify your strengths, talents, and skills in life. Everyone has positive traits even when they aren't aware of them – discover yours and begin unleashing your full potential.
Rewrite Negative Beliefs (PDF)
Transform your negative beliefs with cognitive therapy techniques, including analyzing the language behind your beliefs and how to rewrite them from a more optimistic and motivating perspective.
Burn Away Negative Beliefs (PDF)
The simple act of writing down your negative beliefs and watching them burn away right in front of you can disempower them and help you let go. Most people feel an instant relief. Try it out for yourself!
Locus of Control Quiz: How Much Power Do You Feel You Have Over Your Life?
A 25 question quiz designed to identify your "locus of control" and how much power you believe you have over your life. What do you score?
How to Be 100% Honest With Yourself: A Prerequisite to Self-Improvement
Being honest with yourself can be painful but highly rewarding. When honesty meets your willingness to change, there is no telling the ways you can grow and improve.
Your Map of Reality: How Your Beliefs Influence How You See the World
Your beliefs define your "map of reality" and how you see yourself and the world. To grow and improve, we must be willing to update this "map of reality" in the face of new information and new experiences.
Cognitive Restructuring: The Complete Guide on How to Reframe Your Beliefs
Your perspective is everything. "Cognitive restructuring" is a tool used by psychologists, therapists, and coaches to identify beliefs that are maladaptive and destructive to our lives, and then reframe them to new beliefs that are more constructive and healthy.
30 Positive Reframes: Transforming Weakness Into Strength
What you perceive as a "weakness" of yours can be a "strength" in disguise. Here are 30 positive reframes of different personality traits and characteristics. Which apply to you?
Rumination vs. Savoring: The Neural Dynamics Between Positive and Negative Thinking
Rumination is the cornerstone of depression and anxiety. It's characterized by an excessive replaying of negative thoughts and memories. A new study finds rumination activates the same brain regions as savoring, or the replaying of positive thoughts. Can depressed people learn to use their brains' natural abilities in a more constructive way?
Silver Linings for a Cloudy Day: Reframe Bad News Before You Get It
Finding the "silver lining" of potential bad news (before you receive it) can minimize stress and improve emotional well-being, according to a new study.
Playing Devil's Advocate With Negative Beliefs: The Power of Proving Yourself Wrong
If you have a very skeptical and critical mind, why not focus that energy into debunking your negative beliefs?
3 Types of Exaggerated Thinking That Create Unnecessary Drama
"Bad day" or "the apocalypse?" Some people have an amazing ability to take small problems and transform them into much bigger ones. Be aware of these 3 types of exaggerated thinking and how to avoid them in the future.
Black and White Thinking: Learn to See the Grey Areas in Life
Black and white thinking is our tendency to look at the world in terms of "all or nothing." This strict and stubborn perspective can become the cause of many problems in our lives because it often represents a false view of reality.
"I Will Never Be Happy" – Leaving the Happiness Door Open
Is happiness compatible with your worldview or are you destined to a life always believing, "I will never be happy?"
I'm Too Smart To Be Happy: Debunking Depressive Realism
A common belief I come across in many truly smart and talented individuals is the idea that "I'm too smart to be happy." Here's why that belief is often wrong and self-fulfilling.
Framing Depression as an Adaptive Signal, Not a Lifelong Disease
Explore how the concept of "adaptive signal" provides a fresh understanding of depression, highlighting its potential role as a meaningful response to challenging life circumstances and offering new perspectives on mental health.
When Depression Is Just A Stepping Stone
Learn how to channel depression into self-growth. Here's when depression is only a phase in life we have to go through and learn from before we can move onto the next chapter in our lives.
This Small Tweak to Your Language Can Help Downplay Negativity
When we are in a negative mood, we often get caught using absolutist and exaggerated language to describe our feelings. One simple trick for downplaying these negative patterns is to choose words that makes them sound less powerful and extreme.
The Power of "Yet" and How Self-Talk Affects Our Limitations
You're not a failure, you're just not successful...yet. When you talk about a goal you haven't achieved, make sure you add "yet" to the end. Keep the possibility open.
Focusing Too Much on "Me" Can Feed Into Depression and Negativity
What's the difference between self-awareness and self-indulgence? A new study shows that focusing too much on yourself, and excessively using words like "I" and "Me," may feed into depression.
Metaphors We Live By: How Metaphors Frame Our Experiences in Different Ways
The metaphors we use to describe our lives can have a powerful influence on how we frame our experiences and respond to them. The best way to change the meaning of an experience is to find a new metaphor to describe it.
No Matter How Bad Things Get: If I Can Overcome This, I Can Overcome Anything
Discover the power behind the mantra "If I can overcome this, I can overcome anything," and learn to conquer all of life's challenges no matter where you find yourself.


Negative Emotions

4 Fundamental Pillars of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence includes 4 different pillars that determine our ability to navigate our emotional world. These pillars include: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills.
Emotional Intelligence Test: How Good Are You at Managing Your Emotions?
A 25 question quiz designed to assess how good you are at managing your emotions and navigating your emotional world. What do you score?
Emotional Valence vs. Arousal: Two-Dimensional Model for Emotions
The two-dimensional model of emotions is a simple but helpful way to classify your emotions and better understand them. It categorizes emotions based on their degree of "valence" and "arousal."
5 Signs You're a Slave to Your Emotions
Here are 5 warning signs that you're becoming a slave to your emotions.
The Physical Sensations Behind Emotions: Improving Awareness of the Mind-Body Connection
When you experience an emotion, how does it feel in your body? Learn how to identify the physical sensations behind your emotions to become more self-aware and emotionally intelligent.
Question Your Feelings: The Power of Self-Analysis
Your feelings can be misleading if you always react to them without thinking. At times, it's a good idea to step back and question them. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do this.
Emotions Are Weakness: 5 Maladaptive Beliefs That Lead to Emotional Dysfunction
Do you see your emotions as a source of strength or weakness? New research shows how maladaptive beliefs about feelings can lead to destructive patterns and poor self-regulation. Learn how to better navigate your emotional world by cultivating the right approach and mindset toward every feeling.
Negative Emotions: Create A Plan to Respond to Them in a Healthy Way
The current way you respond to your negative emotions doesn't have to be the only way. Create a plan and choose a new way to respond to your negative emotions before they happen.
this too shall pass
"This too shall pass" is a great mantra that teaches us the power of impermanence. The essential idea is that no matter what you are currently going through in life, it's ultimately temporary and will change.
Reframing Your Dark Side: Embracing Your Shadow Is Key to Genuine Mental Health
Why is it important to embrace our "dark side" every now and then? The power of negative emotions, stress and anxiety, and even "Dark Triad" personality traits.
Labeling Negative Emotions In The Moment Can Help You Overcome Them
The simple act of labeling negative emotions as you experience them can help you accept them and overcome them.
Opposite Action: When You Should Do The Opposite of What You Feel
Doing the opposite of what you feel can be a great way to change the flow of your emotions. Learn about the "opposite action" technique in this article.
How to Completely Forgive Yourself: Everyone Has a Past and a Future
Everyone has a past and a future. No matter what we've done in our past, we have the capacity to completely forgive ourselves and take a positive step forward.
Warning! I'm In A Bad Mood: Let People Know When You Are Having a Bad Day
Do you lash out at others or get angry a lot? Try giving a gentle "warning" to others when you are in a bad mood to avoid unnecessary hostility and conflict in your social interactions.
Let Bygones Be Bygones: Forgiveness and Letting Go of Emotional Residue
When you have a bad interaction with someone, how quickly can you let it go? The answer can make all the difference in your happiness and relationships.
Give Yourself Time to Digest Big Life Events
It's important to give yourself both space and time to digest big life events. Here are healthy suggestions to help make the process a little easier.


Positive Emotions

A to Z Gratitude List (PDF)
Experiment with the "A to Z Gratitude List" worksheet for a unique journey of positivity, appreciation, and reflection on the diverse elements enriching your life.
100+ Happiness Hacks for Boosting Your "Feel-Good" Chemicals
Here's a huge collection of 100+ happiness hacks we can all use to boost important "feel good" chemicals, such as dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. These are the building blocks to living a happier and healthier life.
Happiness Quiz: What Is Your Overall Level of Life Satisfaction?
A 25 question quiz designed to measure your current level of happiness and life satisfaction. What do you score?
The Broaden And Build Theory: How Positive Emotions Make Us Smarter and Work Harder
The “broaden and build theory” is an idea in psychology that positive emotions allow us to expand our awareness in new ways and tap into mental resources that aren’t always available to us.
Savoring Happiness: How to Prolong Any Positive Experience
Savoring is the act of recognizing, appreciating, and prolonging a positive experience. We typically think of savoring while eating, but it's an ability that can be applied to every area of your life. It also may be the key to long-lasting happiness.
Positive Emodiversity: Embracing the Full-Range of Positive Emotions
Emodiversity describes the variety of emotions we experience on a daily basis. Research shows that emodiversity can often be a better predictor of physical and mental health than the raw calculation of "positive" vs. "negative" emotions.
Be Grateful for Your Senses: Appreciating Consciousness 101
Life doesn't exist without our senses. This is such a simple fact that we often take it for granted – which is why it's so important you take the time to be grateful for them.
The Power of Anticipation: Why We All Need Something to Look Forward To
We all need something to look forward to in life. A healthy sense of "anticipation" can often energize our lives and motivate us to get through tough times.
The Hedonic Treadmill: An Essential Insight for Maximizing Happiness
Your experience of happiness, pleasure, and joy often depend on the situation and context. If you understand this, you can maximize the happiness in your life.
3 Sources of Happiness That Aren't Tied to People or Stuff
When your happiness is only tied to things that are always changing, you’re going to get easily caught up in the “highs” and “lows.” In certain times, it’s necessary to have sources of happiness that aren’t tied to anyone but yourself.
Prioritizing Positive Activities: Make Time for Joy and Pleasure
Do you have time to be happy and enjoy life? Here's why positive and pleasurable activities are so important for well-being and how we can prioritize them more.
How to Use the Power of Emotional Contagion to Change Your Mood
Emotions can be as contagious as the common cold; just as we can catch a virus from someone when we come into contact with them, we similarly "catch" other people's emotions when we come into contact with them.
The Power of a Nice View: Feast Your Eyes on Beauty
Our environment and surroundings can have a real impact on our mindset and attitude – and this includes the power of a nice and beautiful view.


Health and Exercise

Health and Lifestyle Quiz: How Well Do You Take Care of Your Body?
A 25 question quiz designed to measure your current level of health and physical well-being. What do you score?
New Habit Worksheet (PDF)
Use this worksheet to reflect on one area in your life that needs a change – then choose one new habit to begin moving in a better direction!
Mind-Body: The Connection Between Physical and Mental Health
Our minds and bodies are connected, so the more you take care of your body, the healthier and smarter your mind will be as well.
Identify Your Habit Loops: The Basic Structure Behind Every Single Habit
There is a structure behind every habit which psychologists refer to as a "habit loop." By understanding our "habit loops," we can more easily change our behaviors. Here's how to do it!
Mindful Stretching: Start the Day With Slow and Deliberate Movement
Wake your body and mind up in the morning by practicing a simple "mindful stretching" routine. Start every day with slow and deliberate movement.
7 Simple Principles Behind a Good Night's Sleep
Improving your sleep habits can make a big difference in your life overall. If you're currently experiencing unhealthy sleep patterns, here are the key principles behind a good night's sleep.
The "Everything Counts" Mindset for Exercise: How to Reframe Your Perspective on Health
When you have an "everything counts" mindset in regards to exercise, you can more easily find daily opportunities to be more physically active even if it just simple things like going for a quick walk or doing pushups while watching TV.
Scattered Workout: Why You Should Spread Out Your Exercise Throughout the Day
Do you have trouble getting enough exercise? A "scattered workout" – where you spread out different exercises throughout your day – may be an easy and convenient approach to becoming a healthier and fitter person.
How Your Personality Shapes What Types of Exercise Work Best For You
If you want to be healthier and exercise more, it's important to first understand your individual personality so that you can choose activities that resonate with you and keep you motivated.
The "In Front of the TV" Workout: Make Exercise As Fun and Easy as Possible
We all know exercise is good for us, but it can be hard to make it a consistent habit. What if you tried combining it with an already established habit, such as watching TV or listening to a podcast?
5 Mental Health Boosters to Combat Winter Sadness
As the days get darker, colder, and shorter, it's a good time to install some extra "mental health boosters" into your routine. Here are important tools to minimize winter sadness (or "seasonal affective disorder").
Your Mindset About Your Health Can Make a Big Physical Difference
Your mind and body are tightly interconnected. There's a lot of new and interesting research that shows just how much how your mindset about "health" can make a real difference in your physical well-being.
The Mind-Body Benefits of Fasting for 24 Hours
Fasting for a short 24 hour period, where you consume nothing but water (and sometimes low calories drinks such as black coffee or green tea), has shown to have several physical and mental health benefits.
stress portrait of a killer
Stress is a normal part of our everyday existence, so it's important we learn how to manage it in a healthy way. Research shows that excessive stress can lead to a range of physical and mental health problems.


Relationships

Role Models Worksheet (PDF)
Who do you look up to in life? We are a product of our influences. Complete this "Role Models" worksheet to create an endless resource of people you can be motivated and inspired by.
Social Anxiety Hierarchy Worksheet (PDF)
Conquer your social fears one step at a time by climbing up your "Anxiety Hierarchy." Here's a simple and powerful worksheet to get you started.
Past Relationships Worksheet (PDF)
Learn from past love to improve future love. This worksheet will guide you step-by-step so that you can take away the most important lessons from your past relationships.
Sense of Belonging Quiz: Do You Feel Like You Fit In This World?
Do you feel like you have a place in this world? Take this quick 25 question quiz to measure your current sense of belonging.
Social Intelligence Quiz: How Well Do You Navigate Your Social World?
A 25 question quiz designed to measure your current level of social intelligence and social skills. What do you score?
Why It's Worth It To Pay The Costs of Being Yourself
While "being yourself" has real costs – you risk being judged and ostracized by others – ultimately, the reward for being true to yourself is worth it in the long-term.
Social Support: The Benefits of Creating Positive Relationships
Building positive relationships is a vital component to living a happy and successful life. Do you have the social support you need to reach your full potential?
Feeling Unloved: The Need to Be Appreciated
We have a vital human need to feel loved and appreciated by others. Discover the profound impact of appreciation on self-worth, relationships, and well-being, and learn practical tips to cultivate more love and gratitude from others.
Everyone Needs a Tribe: The Importance of Belonging
Our need to belong to a group or "tribe" is natural and instinctual. Everyone needs a tribe in their life to find real happiness, meaning, and purpose.
The Power of Checking In On People: How to Preserve Your Social Connections
Who is someone you haven't connected with in awhile? Reaching out and checking in on them likely means a lot more to them than you realize.
How to Communicate Your Feelings Without Becoming an Emotional Manipulator
It's important to be open and honest when you communicate your feelings to others, but we also have to be careful not to turn ourselves into "emotional manipulators." 
The Big 5 Personality Traits: A Framework for Understanding Our Differences
Dive into the Big 5 Personality Traits to gain a better understanding of human personality and individual differences. Discover how characteristics like Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism shape who we are and the choices we make in life.
Why No One is Normal And How to Focus On Individual Uniqueness
Being "normal" is rare, being "different" is common. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, so we're all best defined by our individuality.
The Power of "10 Second" Relationships: How Small Conversations Improve Well-Being
Every time we leave our homes, there is opportunity for social interaction. Studies show even just small "10 second relationships" can boost mental health and positive emotions.
Role Models: Why You Should Make a List of People You Admire
Who are your "role models" in life? Here's why you should make a list of the people you admire and look up to – and how they can fuel inspiration and motivation to achieve your goals.


Goals and Motivation

Daily Routine Worksheet (PDF)
We are what we repeatedly do. Complete the "Daily Routine" worksheet to get a clear idea of what an average day looks like for you. Is there room for small changes?
Goals Timeline (PDF)
Create a timeline for your goals. What would you like to accomplish within the next day, week, month, year, and decade? Download this worksheet and fill it out!
Give Yourself Credit: The Essential Habit Behind Self-Esteem
Give yourself credit. Are you appreciating your small wins? Here's why it's important to find those daily "+1's" to build confidence and self-esteem.
Setting Goals That Are Realistic and Attainable Is the Key to Well-Being and Success
According to a new study, setting goals that are "realistic" and "attainable" is the key to well-being and success. This is consistent with the popular SMART method for goal-setting.
What Stands in the Way Becomes the Way: A New Perspective for Overcoming Obstacles
Obstacles can't stop you from moving forward, they just redirect the path you need to take in life. What stands in the way becomes the way.
Creating Flow: Finding Activities that Balance Challenge and Skill
Flow is a state of consciousness where action and awareness become one. It's when a person is so fully immersed in an activity that they lose their sense of time and self. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls it an "optimal state of experience."
Quantify Your Progress: Finding Ways to Measure Your Self-Improvement
If you can measure it, you can change it. Here's how to quantify your progress in any area of self-improvement
Systems vs. Goals: Why Sustainability Is More Important Than Temporary Success
Goals are often temporary, but systems are long-term. If you want to make a sustainable change in your life, you need to approach it as a systematic change.
progressive timeline
Reflect on your goals and write them down. Create a progressive timeline for what you want to accomplish within the next day, week, month, year, and decade to get a clearer picture of your future.
Imagine How Good It Will Feel: How to Use Emotional Imagery to Motivate Yourself
Do you have trouble motivating yourself to do something? One technique is to imagine how good it will feel once you actually do it.
Doing Despite Disliking: Top Mental Strategies to Get You Through Doing Things You Don't Like
We all have responsibilities, obligations, and chores that we don't necessarily like doing, but know we have to do anyway. Here are the top mental strategies for completing these tasks, according to psychologists.


Mindfulness and Meditation

5 Senses Meditation (PDF)
Use this worksheet to meditate on each of your five senses. Take a step back and make note of any stimuli you observe through your vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. This is a great exercise to improve mindfulness and non-judgmental awareness.
100 Breaths Meditation: A Great Beginner's Guide to Meditation
The "100 Breaths Meditation" is a super easy exercise for improving your focus and attention. No apps required – just you and your breathing.
7 Grounding Exercises: A Powerful Tool For When You Feel Overwhelmed
Grounding is a way to anchor yourself to the present moment when you're feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed. Here are 7 effective "grounding techniques" you can practice to become more relaxed and mindful.
Loving-Kindness Meditation: Send Warm Feelings to Everyone
Here's how to create "compassionate love" for any person through a simple loving-kindness meditation. Buddhism meets neuroscience.
3 Tiny Mental Habits I Practice Every Morning – In Less Than 5 Minutes
If you want to change your mindset, it's best to start as small as possible. Here are 3 tiny mental habits that I practice every morning – and they take less than two minutes to complete!
Multi-Stage Meditation: My 15-Minute Practice
Here’s a breakdown of my “Multi-Stage Meditation” practice which combines elements of breathing, mindfulness, visualization, and metta (or “loving-kindness”). Try it out for yourself!
apply mindfulness
Learn how to increase your capacity to hold attention and cultivate mindfulness. It can improve your everyday skills and make life a richer experience.
Meditation Is A Type of Technology, Like a Telescope or Microscope
Meditation is a type of technology – like a telescope or microscope – in the sense that it improves our scope of observation and extends our awareness toward experiences that we are otherwise unable to detect.
3 Common Problems When First Starting Meditation
Meditation is simply a practice of developing greater awareness toward our experiences. It can be easy in theory, but difficult in practice. Here are 3 common problems people face when first starting out.
Metacognitive Therapy: Exploring The Nature of Thought
Metacognitive therapy is a new form of therapy that focuses not on how to identify and change thoughts (like traditional cognitive therapies), but instead explores the nature of thought itself.
12 Everyday Activities That Put You Into a Natural State of Reflection
We all need time in our day to reflect and introspect. What everyday activities put you into a natural state of reflection? How can you make the most out of these activities?


Meaning and Purpose

Core Values Worksheet (PDF)
Discover the essence of what really matters to you with our "Core Values" worksheet, guiding you to unearth, articulate, and harmonize your life with the fundamental principles that resonate at your core.
Future Self Worksheet (PDF)
Do you know where you're going in life? Complete this worksheet to gain a clearer picture of your "future self" and what type of person you want to become later in life – and most importantly, how to get there!
Creative Self-Reflection Exercises (PDF)
Here's a worksheet with five different creative writing exercises to spark self-reflection, including "Spirit Animal," "Last Day on Earth," "History," and more. Take your time with each one and learn more about yourself.
5 Fundamental Pillars for Building a Meaningful and Purposeful Life
Finding meaning in your life can come from many different sources, including a sense of belonging, purpose, storytelling, growth, and transcendence.
How to Create Psychological Distance Between You and Your Past
Often you have to create a space between yourself and your past before you have the opportunity to grow in new ways. Here are useful tips, tools, and techniques for creating more "psychological distance" between you and your past.
The Complete Picture: Zooming In and Out to See Where You Want to Go in Life
If you want to get a more complete picture of where you are in life and where you want to go, it's important you know how to "zoom in" and "zoom out" your perspective. This is a powerful type of reframing.
Rewriting the Story of Your Life: A Process of Self-Exploration Through Writing
We all have a "life narrative" that defines how we see ourselves and the meaning behind our lives. How can you change your story through the power of writing?
A Sense of Oneness Is Connected to Greater Happiness and Life Satisfaction
According to a fascinating new study, having a strong sense of "oneness" with the world around you is positively associated with greater happiness and life satisfaction.
Synchronicity: Finding and Embracing the Little Meanings in Life
Synchronicity is when two events occur in life that seem special and meaningful, even when there is no apparent causal connection between them. Have you ever experienced it?
Starting a New Chapter in Your Life
What does it mean to start a new chapter in your life? Psychology research shows how using rituals and "symbolic" behaviors can help us get over the past and embrace the future.
On the Fruits of God and Religion
Do you believe in God – why or why not? For many, the belief in God can be a powerful source of strength and motivation.
Act On Your Values, Don't Just Preach Them
Do you "walk the talk" when it comes to your values? A big part of living a happy and harmonious life is when your actions and values are aligned.
The Power of Small Rituals in Overcoming Life's Obstacles
A ritual is any meaningful or symbolic behavior that we believe helps us face a situation or overcome an obstacle. Here's how to use the power of "small rituals" to improve your confidence and motivation.
Materialism Quiz: What's Your Relationship With Money and Stuff?
A 25 question quiz designed to measure your relationship with money and material things. What do you score?
The "Five Whys" Exercise: How to Recalibrate Yourself During Periods of Turbulence
There's no such thing as a life without a little chaos and turbulence. The "Five Whys" exercise is a great tool for recalibrating our values during these difficult times.
Routines vs. Rituals: Finding the Meaning in Everyday Activities
What are the key differences between a ritual and a routine? How does one empower us while the other leaves us dull and unsatisfied?
How a Quiet Walk Through a Cemetery Can Reinvigorate Your Life
We don't often like to think about death, but doing so can have a transformative effect on our lives. A simple walk through a cemetery can be an eye-opening experience that helps put our lives into perspective and cultivates gratitude.