Managers: 4 powerful ways to turn depression into empowerment

Guest blog from award-winning coach, International Speaker & Podcaster, and Entrepreneur, Joyan Chan

“When I wanted to end my life, my life begins."

This is not a story I am most proud of, but it's the story that changed my life forever.

For many years, I hide behind the 'perfect image' I’ve created. Deep inside, I was losing myself completely. Life was painful and I was constantly looking for the next thing that can take my pain away - why am I living in this world, who am I?

I found out I was suffering from High-Functioning Depression just before the whole world shut down in March 2020. Depression is REAL. It became a constant struggle between fighting it or giving up.

I’ll never forget one afternoon when I looked at the rooftop of the building in front of me, I asked myself: "Do I have the courage to jump off the building?"

My answer was: “If you can’t die today, you only have one choice - that’s to live your life. If you choose to live your life, you gotta live your life to the fullest, THIS IS ENOUGH."

It was a huge wake up call for me.

Breakthrough often comes from what you thought was a breakdown. It usually triggers by two things - excitement, something that excites you so much; or pain, something that becomes so painful that you can’t take it anymore. For me it was pain. When I reached my threshold of pain, I said to myself, NO MORE.

If I can empower myself on my darkest day, I can help others do the same.

Here are 4 powerful ways to turn depression into empowerment

1. Be strong for yourself because no one will do that for you

If you have the courage to make it through a lonely night with nothing but your own self-destructive thoughts, you have the courage to make it through anything. Even with the scars and bruises that the past has inflicted on you, you yourself are the best proof that you’ve done it before and can do it again.

Giving up is the easiest thing to do, but there is also a part of you that don’t want to give up. There is a place in your heart that is greater than fear.

Tap into the power you already have within you. You’ll know how strong you really are when you come out on the other side, even you don't see the exit now. It's within you that you’ll find the strength you need. All the pain and struggle you’re going through now will become your success story of tomorrow.?

2. You have to grow through what you go through

Bad circumstances are never easy to go through but remember you’re going through them, meaning that you’ll come out on the other side. There are no other ways or shortcuts. You owe yourself that growth.

It won’t be easy, no one has the answer. As you’re growing through the journey, you’ll find the answers along the way and find what is within you to complete this journey.

Often, you’ll realize your biggest potential in your greatest pain and create a breakthrough to a new level. Your darkest storm and most painful mistake can turn into your greatest victory.

3. Take 100% responsibility for your life

When you’re not changing, you’re choosing. Ask yourself, is this what you really want? If the answer is no, what can you do?

Know that when you hit a dark place, you’ve more insights into yourself than you did before. So what went wrong?

Write down your personal responsibilities for what’s happening, what are your default emotions, behaviours and actions and how are they serving you? On the other side, write down what would the new empowered version of you do differently.

Nobody can change you or change your life, those positive changes must come from within you. Every day you’re given a new opportunity to make a different decision. Perhaps, today is the day.

4. Let go and surrender

We don't know what we're being protected from or where we're being guided to in the midst of chaos. We must learn to trust there's a future waiting for us that’s beyond what we might be able to fully grasp at this moment. Give yourself the permission to let go, surrender and trust that you weren’t given what you wanted, but what you needed.

Be grateful that certain things didn't work out. Each of us has our own path and destiny and everything will unfold as it should. At any moment, your life can turn to reflect all the things you want. You just have to trust and be patient.

If you’re reading this, no matter where you are, who you are, or where you come from - they don't define you, you define yourself by how you choose to tell your stories.

Only when we start to take ownership of our life, own our struggles, and be FULLY RESPONSIBLE for ourselves and our circumstances, do we grow in confidence and become empowered to create a life filled with joy, peace, passion, purpose, and success on our terms.