I must lose myself in action, lest I wither in despair.
—Alfred Lord Tennyson (by George Frederic Watts; Public Domain)
I admit it, I much prefer happy, uplifting quotes. But more importantly, I prefer quotes that can help someone with what they are going through. Not only does this very brief quote by Tennyson remind us that grief, despair, and depression afflicted even the most famous people in history (in fact, these dark forces generally helped shape who they would become), it also gives us a clear pathway out of the shadows. No matter how dark of a time we might be going through, we still have the mental capacity to choose where we would like to be, and define what actual steps it will take to get there. When our mind wants to focus on the darkness, let us recognize this condition and lose ourselves in the actions needed to move forward. It is amazing how this simple step will make the melancholy abate.
—Mike Hazell
