What I'm coming to realize though, is that this predictable spiral is my kryptonite. This is my weak moment. If I'm not careful, Ms. Mopey starts to emerge, and I rub off my depressive mood on everyone I meet, in person or online.
So, what's the solution? How did Superman prevent succumbing to his weakness?
I think the answer is that he steered clear when he could, but most importantly, he RECOGNIZED it for what it was and understood how it affected him. He didn't deny it existed or try to pretend it wasn't there. In both comic, movie, and TV episodes, he often took action, like hurling all known fragments into the sun or entrusting it to Batman.
How nice it would be if I could hurl my weaknesses into the sun! Alas, it's not possible, but what I can do is acknowledge those dark days when they arrive and give myself some grace, keeping in mind that it's not forever, that the roller coaster plunge will soon come to a halt and the ride will start cranking back up to the top again. A little extra downtime and exercise can do wonders. But if I try to ignore it or pretend like everything's dandy, I'll crash. The kryptonite must be acknowledged or it'll zap my powers, leaving me defenseless.
Q & A time: What is your krpytonite? How do you handle it?
I'm pretty close to you. I get all depressed when I get the feeling that no one cares about me, what I do, or whether I live or die. Of course, that's not true, but I do acknowledge it and just wait it out, trying not to be mean to people who don't deserve it. It doesn't happen out of the blue, it's usually triggered and more prone to show up in moments of stress. But it's okay. I've entrusted this to Batman and he's keeping it safe for me ;)
ReplyDeleteI hope you snap out of your deep blue funk soon. I send you a virtual hug and a fuzzy kitten, and I hope you feel better.
Hugs!
Why thanks so much. I love fuzzy kittens. My yuckiness is usually related to certain days of the month, which shall remain unnamed.
ReplyDeleteHomework.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I don't really handle it. I leave it to the last minute.
But if I acknowledged it properly, and threw it into the sun one fragment at a time, it wouldn't be so bad.
It's an especially big problem for me at the moment, because with my final term of high school coming up, I have a 7-minute drama solo to create from scratch, 7 minutes of French improvised conversation to learn and practise, as well as basically giving a presentation of La Belle Époque in French -- a book to desperately read in an attempt to finish it before I have to write a bunch of essays on it, so I can write on it in the exam, and difficult piano pieces to learn for my University auditions which run in August and September. Not to mention the songs I have to learn for my Music practical exam.
The only way to make it all less daunting is to chip away at it, and that's something I certainly don't do. I avoid it, and that's fine for a while. Then it comes back, and if I don't deal with it properly this last term, it'll bite me hard.
I'm scared.
Ryan, looks like procrastination might be your kryptonite. I think you're on the right track, knowing that you need to chip away at it one thing at a time. You've acknowledged it, so all you have to do is put your plan in action.
ReplyDeleteTry taking on the smallest job first. Get it finished. Take a break with writing or something else, then go after the next smallest...work your way up. You'll feel better after every little accomplishment.
And hang in there. You'll survive and look back on these days with a sense of pride!
Mysti: I go through those days as well. It's like seeing-and feeling- everything through a mist of disappointment and sadness. I know it will go away eventually, so I simply go through it, hold onto my patience, and, as soon as I have the time, I sit and read an author that I truly enjoy. Stories that give me new perspectives and insights. They make me fly.
ReplyDeleteDecision points. When I have to make a decision that's going to affect my business, I freeze. As much as I'd like to say chocolate helps, it doesn't. ;) Exercise does, though. Affirmations and reviewing my goals also seem to be helpful. Sometimes. But in order to do any of that, I have to pull my head out of the... sand... which is easier said than done! ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Mysti and all others. Mysti found my website and seems we live only a few miles apart, but had never known of each other. Mysti your book sounds fun. I'll have to explore it in more detail. I write adventure/mystery/fiction, period fiction (in the style of Hammett and Chandler)and scripts for TV. Great to see so many authors commenting. As to the depths? I rely on Scotch, Vodka, and assorted wines.
ReplyDeleteMysti my dear, I've learned to live with my personal Kryptonite (Depression and Migraine). It ain't easy, but I'm darned if I'll let it get the better of me.
ReplyDeleteHugs n kisses,
Jack :)
I don't get depressed but I do get restless at times and that makes me crazy. If I'm not writing then I'm cropping and editing photos that I took from a previous trip.
ReplyDeleteWriting and creating things is actually my kryptonite. It takes me away from my family and it heckles my OCD so that if I have to break away I am on edge because I wasn't able to finish my self-medication.
Snap out girl! You can do it. Have some ice cream and pamper yourself.
Procrastination is definitely my Kryptonite. Sometimes I can be so focused that nothing distracts me from my writing. I hunch over my laptop and type away furiously shushing my husband if he so much as dares to ask me “What’s up?”. Lol! But other times I look for any excuse to distract me. What’s in the fridge? What’s on TV? What was that sound? Wander over and ask my hubby “What’s up?” so that he can shush me (usually because I am distracting him from one of his many fantasy sports leagues). It really doesn’t take much. I usually let myself embrace it for short periods of time and then give myself a good mental kick. Though it doesn’t always work….
ReplyDeleteOh and I tend to overanalyze things…. Now that I think of it that probably takes the top spot for me. Of course that’s only after I’ve re-read my response a thousand times and overanalyzed it to death! ; )
Thanks for commenting, everyone! It's rather inspiring to read about your struggles and how you deal with them. Keep up the fight!!
ReplyDeleteI allow myself twenty-four hours to feel bad when something happens that depresses me. Most of the time things look different the next day and I work to pick myself up again.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I have to do, just give myself some room to mope and know it'll get better soon. It's still rather annoying KNOWING that I'm being unreasonable and not being able to control it :)
ReplyDeleteWriters are sensitive types, which isn't a bad thing. How else would our characters show emotion if we weren't sensitive creatures ourselves?
ReplyDeleteLike Kristen, I overanalyze things. I'm a perfectionist, and when I make a mistake, I don't handle it well. I sometimes think what I'm working on sucks, and therefore I suck.
When all this happens, I take a break. Then I come back later with a different perspective. It's not the end of the world if I make a mistake. It's not the end of the world if I do suck because if if do, I can only get better!
This is a great question! My kryptonite is "time." I hate it. I swear it was ten minutes ago my oldest daughter Rachael was born,and in less than a month she'll turn 25. Family photo albums are so much fun for my clan to look at, but I can hardly do it! It's torture. This is why I'm prone to writing about time travel! lol Hugs, Mysti...love your book and blog.
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