I can do it, and you can too! Here’s why!

If you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.  It’s that simple.  It may not be perfect, but if you believe it’s possible, it is.  Don’t let depression win.

I’ve been really struggling with my depression for a good six weeks.  I haven’t been exercising or talking to my friends and family.

Those are the tell-tale signs that I’m in the depression pit.

All I’ve been doing is working.  Working, working, working.  It’s been my escape, which is a productive escape, but an escape nonetheless.

I’m hiding.  I’m hiding from the truth…

The truth is, I suffer from depression, and I never know when it’s going to rear its ugly head.

I signed up a year ago to run the Westchester ½ marathon because when I ran it last year, I had a great time.  In the back of my mind for the whole year, I’ve been thinking oh I have that ½ marathon in October.

Then the depression hit like a ton of bricks.

Out of nowhere.  I didn’t run.  I didn’t do much of any exercise for the 6 weeks leading up to the race.  I was looking for an excuse as to why I couldn’t run this race.  I thought about deferring it to next year, I thought about skipping it.  I thought about walking it.  I thought about taking the easy way out.

Instead, I woke up the morning of the race at 7 am.  I got up and reluctantly drove to White Plains by myself to pick up my race number and to run alone.  I thought to myself, it’s 2 hours of your life, just do it, and I did.

What a race!  I didn’t have anyone calling me on my phone.  No work, nobody asking me for anything.  All I had was myself, my thoughts and the desire to finish the race.

I went on a journey.  A 13.1 mile journey.  What did I learn?  I learned to accept myself, and all my imperfections.  I learned to push through my depression.  I know it will come back. It always does, but this time… I won!

Authored by: Debbie Aglietti