Visualizing Your Best Self Outside Depression

It’s common when struggling from depression to always be looking backwards to the past, stuck in regret, overthinking, etc. This would be stories from the community who have created self-portraits of their “best self” to look forward and give them a marker to work towards and remember who they are capable of being.

If you’re struggling with depression, it’s easy to get caught up in regret, to overthink past experiences, or ruminate over the stories that you’ve built up about who you are, what you do, and why you may find yourself in this situation.

It can be a hard cycle to see when you’re in it, and it only gets harder the longer you’re experiencing depression.

That’s why it’s so important to get professional help, and combine that with other tools that work for you to help pull your perspective and attention away from these unhealthy or unproductive thought loops.

In my own experiences with depression, I’ve also found it vital to create new stories for myself — some type of “North Star” to strive towards. This helps to bring a clearer picture into view and offers me a goal to work towards, thereby reducing the uncertainty and fogginess that fuels my anxiety and depression.

If you’re constantly ruminating about where you’re currently finding yourself or where you’ve been in the past, how will you know where to go next? How can you know which direction you are going?

You may be able to achieve more clarity with counseling, journaling, and other goal-setting activities. In my own exploration of photography as a creative tool, I’ve found that creating a photo and story about my best self can be especially powerful while battling mental health issues.

Do you know who your best self is?

Who are you at your absolute best?

Where will you be? What will you be doing? How do you act? What fills your days and time?

If you’ve never asked yourself or reflected on these questions, it might be a good idea to explore them, on your own time or with a trusted friend or mental health professional.

Recently, I asked members of The One Project community to create stories that show their best selves outside of their mental health struggles to help provide some examples and kick start their own journeys toward these visions.

I have been feeling the anxiety build up again — it’s always there, but it’s staying in my throat more. I want to feel like I felt in this photo all the time. Grateful for this moment; grateful I have something to dream towards.

— Kate Marie

When I was 19 years old I was diagnosed with depression. I was put on medication and sent on my way. Afterwards I would sporadically look to find a therapist who I felt comfortable enough with to share my struggles, worries, and thoughts. I would go off and back on my medication for a variety of reasons; pregnancies, inability to pay high co-pays, and the desire to be “normal” and not require medications to help me manage my moods. For me, this last one was always my biggest driving force and the most disappointing. Even when I felt I was in a good place, I knew my mood was not what it should be or what I wanted it to be.

Today, in a society where so many are searching for their five minutes of fame, I lack any desire to be one of those people that everyone knows. When I think about developing my “best self,” I stay focused on a saying I once heard about improving at least one percent each day. What I do to achieve this one percent each day may look very different from day to day, but as long as I am actively working on making some small “improvement” in myself and my life, I know I am slowly creating my best self.

So, what exactly does this look like? How can I be sure that today I improved something by one percent? Each night, I try to make a mental log of my day and determine if there is something in my day that I have done differently, that has improved my mood or simply moved me forward in my personal goals.

Some days I fall short and come away identifying that I did not make my one percent, but I do not identify this as defeat. I do not look at this as a reason to give up. I do not beat myself up or call myself a failure. No, instead I look forward and identify how I can do better.

These simple steps each day keep me moving forward to my best self.

— Crystal Miller

Triumph doesn’t always need a trophy.

Sometimes you need to reward yourself by saying, “Damn, look at the amazing week I had! Keep it up, look at my progress, look at how fast I recover from a panic attack now. Keep doing those mantras, keep up the self-talk and sharing your feelings.” And sometimes it’s OK if you don’t want to acknowledge it at all and just be, but I’ve realized a good lesson again: that after feeling good for a while I seem to “forget” or not want to recognize that I’ve been doing good until I’m NOT doing good. I get so wrapped up in being OK I forget that I’m “sick,” per se. I don’t work on myself. I let things slip and I don’t watch the signs and then BOOM! Overwhelmed, angry, and back to the beginning.

I really get down on myself and feel so guilty and bad for taking things out on someone else or getting too worked up over nothing and I realize that even when you’re feeling good you have to work on yourself every day. It’s even better to do it then, to ensure that each time lasts longer and relapses are easier and shorter and seen better. I forget sometimes that I don’t have to carry the world on my shoulders. I don’t need to and I don’t want to. No one’s going to look at me funny or be mad when I say I need a little help still. To me, realizing this is a trophy all on its own.

— Trena Pearl Wall

The Takeaway

Everyone’s best self will be different. There is no right or wrong answer.

It can be easy to fall into comparisons when you start on an activity like this, so try to go old school on a piece of paper with a pen and turn off all your devices to give yourself the proper time and space to complete it authentically.

Often, when I’m anxious or starting to struggle more with depression again, it’s because I’m in a transition after lots of changes, so I need to reassess and make a plan. Your best self-portrait and story can be a great way to set your plans in place for where you’re headed.

Once you have it, it’s something that you can refer back to when you’re feeling uncertain or struggling with low self-esteem. Now you’ll have your own “North Star” to guide you forward.

The information presented is solely for educational purposes, not as specific advice for managing asthma. Please consult a professional who can apply best practices and appropriate resources to your situation.

The individual(s) who have written and created the content in and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen​. 

NPS-ALL-NP-00976 JUNE 2023