Have you ever experienced “bottom-stuck” moments, or been pinned down by tragedy or misfortune, hopelessness and depression, pain and struggle? 

Here are some bottom-line truths to remember.

1. Nothing is permanent and there is no such thing as “bottomless” or “bottom-most.”

Remember this: No matter how miserable or seemingly fateful your current situation, it is not permanent; it will pass. Life changes every second, and you can, too. You can’t be stuck in a situation forever.

More often than not, without realizing it, we feel we want to give up at the very point when we are so close to a breakthrough. You must keep going at all costs. The only time you can fail is when you give up. The moment you cannot is the moment you stop being able to.

There is no such thing as “end of the rope.” Or “bottom-most,” or “bottomless.” As long as you are alive, anything (not excluding miracles)is possible. As long as you are alive, you are free to keep on trying. That is your choice. That is your call. As has been said, try and try again, until you succeed. # depression

Related: 10 things to remember when depressed by challenges

2. Struggle and pain are opportunities for growth.

Life is not an “all-comfort zone.” Imperfect as life is, it is riddled with discomfort, disappointment, and all kinds of dissonance. Pain and struggle are part and parcel of life, but they are not stumbling blocks; they help us grow. They are, in fact, a step forward towards learning and transformation.

Remember, the safest path is not always the most convenient or the best. The more the challenges, the more you learn, and the more opportunities for you to grow.

Sometimes we become obsessed with what we want to result from our toils or exploits, such that we forget that the best thing we can gain from every challenge and struggle is not the thing we want, but the “person” we become in the process. # depression

3. Worrying can’t change anything. Be positive and live in the present.

If there is anything that kills more people faster than any dreaded pestilence, it is worrying. You can’t change anything by worrying. Negative thoughts inevitably engender negative results. But positive thoughts create positive realities. You may not be capable of changing what is actually happening to you, but you can choose how to react from within to what is happening—by being positive.

You don’t have to cry over a failed or unhappy past; it’s gone. And neither should you stress yourself about the future; it hasn’t arrived yet. What you can do is live in the present and make it beautiful. The past can’t be altered, yes. But we can, in the present, choose and act what we desire for the future. # depression

4. Always PRAY and have an “attitude of gratitude.”

Prayer is the best antidote to any problem. Not only in rock-bottom moments should we pray, but also in good and bad times, at all times. 

The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said, “The function of prayer is not only to influence God, but also to change the nature of the one who prays.” Prayer, therefore, is not merely aimed at getting what we are praying for; by itself, it is a profound experience of transcendence, or the divine, providing us a host of benefits: It calms the spirit and brings peace, joy, gratitude, and relief.

And, as has oft been said, the highest form of prayer is giving thanks. So, always be grateful for what you have. Count your blessings. # depression

Bob Acebedo writes a weekly column in Opinyon (https://opinyon.net) —Ed.