Sometimes, and through depression especially, we can be absolutely awful to ourselves! I still say the cruellest of things to myself during an episode of depression. It is an all-consuming, heavy fog, which actually feels like it’s blocking my vision.

This is when it’s helpful to write lists. Lists can help organise your thinking, provide constructive affirmations and certainties, and help you feel more in control. A helpful one, given a symptom of depression is self-doubt, is to list some of the things that you have learnt. Choose whether you want to reflect over one month, one year, five years etc. The key is to jot facts down without the weight of emotion. You are essentially firming up the anchor on the seabed.

Here’s what I’ve learnt over the past 12 months:

1: New ways to relax – mediation, listening to classical music, and ensuring I do so daily.

2: Improved my listening skills.

3: Gained more historical knowledge.

4: The importance of taking regular exercise.

5: Gratitude for life and nature.

6: The value of friendships.

7: The importance of healthy nutrition and getting enough sleep.

These are basic, positive, newly learnt skills which, when your mood is lighter, you can add to.

I also like to write down my ideas and thoughts for the future – for example, I have looked into a counselling course, and whilst I’m deliberately not putting a timeline on when I take the next step, I am at least mulling it over. This is thanks to writing down useful points which help to bring me a stronger sense of clarity.