Get Up & Show Up

Today, I'd like to talk about a life value I choose to continue despite battling anxiety and depression.  I feel this is a very good value to have, and one to continue for as long as I am alive.  It's something I've held true to myself since I started managing basketball teams at the young age of 11, and have since carried over into both my workplaces and throughout most of my high school and college careers.

When we have emotional struggles, sometimes the first instinct can be that we should spend the day in bed and never leave.  I don't know anyone like that personally, but there are people out there who haven't left their homes in months, even years sometimes, because they feel too scared and/or sad to interact with the world around them. Agoraphobia is a very real thing, and it can also involve the fear of not being able to escape from situations that we may perceive as dangerous or threatening.  I really feel for people that have this fear, because they miss out on so many things that happen right outside their window.  I also consider myself very fortunate to not have developed this trait.

Instead of staying in bed all day though, we really need to "get up" and get ready for the day.  Getting out of bed, while sometimes being the worst part of the day for those of us who suffer from insomnia, can be something rejuvenating for others.  If we never leave our beds except to use the bathroom and get food, we aren't being productive and working to actively combat our depression and anxiety.  We have to get up, and find something to make us enjoy the morning, whether that be a quick watch of the news, grabbing a breakfast from McDonald's on occasion, or even just taking a shower.  Finding the one thing we love to do in the mornings can make getting out of bed that much easier.

If we never leave our beds in the morning, we just sit with our thoughts all day and don't do anything to improve our moods.  By "getting up", we take advantage of the day and work towards a happier mindset as a result.

Next, we have to "show up".  We apply for, and subsequently get jobs at the various places available to get them, but then it seems a lot of the workforce will just stop showing up.  Sometimes it's not intentional, but other times we just think that we were a poor fit or that what our co-worker or manager said to us was mean and now we're hurt.  People, it happens.  It's happened to me.  But we can't let these small things make us want to lose money by not showing up to work.  Job abandonment can look really bad when applying for jobs in the future.  Heck, for most jobs calling in in general looks pretty bad, especially when you're leaving one of your co-workers in the dust or forcing your boss to call someone else in or stick around themselves.

Regardless of how we feel, we have to show up to the prior committments we make.  Whether it's a college class, a shift at work, or even just a date with someone, we can't "flake" so to speak.  We need to show up and get the education we're paying for, or impress the special someone we're trying to impress, or even just keep the workplace moving along as it should.  Showing up and working our ass off gets us further ahead and sometimes wins us opportunities for advancement.

Do I suffer from depression at work and at college?  Absolutely.  I'd be lying if I said I never had it. I get social anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder too.  And while sometimes it makes me want to call in the next day, or hide in my bedroom from my classes or even my radio show, I kick those feelings out the window, and I get up and show up, or if I have them while I'm at work, I keep moving and working on what I'm paid to do there.  Calling in looks bad on me, regardless of whether management cares or not, so I need to keep up my appearances so to speak.

To me, calling in is only an option for when I'm sick, and I mean deathly sick.  Like vomiting into an ice cream pail sick.  There's no such thing as "My friends want to go cliff jumping, so screw my co-workers".  I would feel like such an ass if I did that, so I don't.  I show up to work and tell my friends we'll have to do it some other time.  That's the right thing to do every time.

So to recap:  Get up every day, and don't let the feelings and worries of your inner mind prevent you from doing what you do.  Show up, and wow your bosses and co-workers.  Give them something to be happy about too if you can.  Make every day a good day, even if it involves bad feelings.  Keep on keeping on, and don't let people drag you down.