Type B vs Type A personalities

I am obviously a type B personality who has accidently subscribed to a few Type A blogs. Every once in a while I read a post that is so foreign to my world and my way of thinking that I have to share my comments on it – just to put things into perspective. Here is a list from highexistence.com. I joined the blog, because I did want to walk more and it was one of their challenges. I do need to be challenged out of my comfortable rut from time to time, but I also need to keep a balance. Some of these people can be a little over the top.

Here are several suggestions for kicking yourself out of a little depression: Their suggestions are first, my comments follow in italics.

1.    Stick your body out of a sunroof while the car is driving 
I can tell you first-hand this one is a lot of fun. If you don’t have a sunroof, a window works just as well. Speeds of 40 mph+ make the experience much more invigorating.

OK, this I will never do. I have in my mind a vision of a low bridge or the sunroof snapping shut and Bingo, yes you are no longer depressed, because in fact, you are no longer.

2.    Go experience nature Being outside just feels right.

This I can do and it works!

3.  Destroy an inanimate object like the printer in ‘Office Space.’

I’m not sure that I could actually destroy anything. I did have a neighbor that used to chop up concrete with a sledge hammer, whenever he was mad. No, I just clean.

4.     Dance! Remember that one time you got a bit tipsy and ACTUALLY danced and didn’t care about everyone watching? Go do that again (being tipsy is optional).

If I’m depressed, I’m usually too down to get up and dance. I may turn on some music, as a starter, though.

5.     Exercise
 Hormones are the best legal drugs out there. Pump some iron or go for a run and get that adrenaline pumping.

Now I do go for walks and they help.

6. Watch the sun rise
 You can’t argue with this one. Wake up a bit early and remind yourself how refreshing this experience can be.

I’m sorry, if I’m down, I generally stay in bed. If I’m up, figuratively, I am usually awake and up and about. It’s dark in the morning anyway and the day just sort of creeps up on you.

7. Scare yourself
 Are you deathly afraid of spiders? Go touch one. Pick a fear and go check and see if it still freaks you out ;)

Sorry I am not going to keep a few snakes around just to scare me out of a depression. I would be freaking out all the time. No, looking in the mirror in the morning is all I really need to shock the B’Jesus out of me.

8.     Run around in the rain
 Haven’t you seen ‘Singing in the Rain’ or ‘The Sound of Music?’

Again, sorry, I hate getting wet. If I’m going to go out in the rain, it has to be a very warm rain, after a very hot day and well, this usually doesn’t happen in November in Toronto.

9. Blast your favorite badass song
 My favorites are Bliss by Muse, You and Whose Army? by Radiohead and Without a Face by Rage Against the Machine.

Again, my favourite music happens to be folk music, which my husband calls, music to commit suicide by – not a good idea!

10. Do something outside of your comfort zone


Now we are back to cleaning again. I do it a lot, but most of the time it is out of my comfort zone. And I know that I am not going to do rock climbing, swim in a cold lake, or even take a cold shower for that matter and I am never going to own a reptile of any sort!!

11. Scream at the top of your lungs 
Like in all of those cliche movies where they yell in the rain on top of some mountain… except do in right where you are, right now.

Then the neighbours or my family would come running and I would have to explain that I was just bored and needed a release and then they would be upset and I would have to comfort them and say everything is fine, but they would know it wasn’t. I think that depression is  less complicated.

12. Meditate Google “meditation techniques” if you’re unsure of the best way to do this.

Most of the time I am meditating on all the negatives in the world and that’s why I’m down.

13. Do something spontaneous 
It doesn’t have to be crazy or dangerous, just fine. Stepping outside your normal schedule and throwing responsibility to the wind feels great.

No, I will not clean the house naked, spontaneous as this may be. My motto – clean house, clean mind, take your pick.

14. Practice an act of random kindness Giving feels really good. Sometimes we forget exactly how good it is.

This I could do.

15. Get to know a stranger Truly connect with another human being. Skip the small talk and ask about their goals and ambitions.

I get enough funny looks from friends, when I ask these questions. I am not going to ask a stranger.

16. Do something illegal 
Oh my gosh, did I just tell you to break the law? Hell, yes. I did. Laws are made to be broken and it feels great to do it.

Let me introduce you to our mayor. He does a lot of things that are illegal and maybe he feels great about it, but we don’t.

17. Drive fast…really fast
 Think ‘The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift.’ If you have a Prius, maybe you should just skip to the next one…

This is illegal too and dangerous. Maybe I could just walk fast, really fast and hope that I don’t trip and fall, then I would be really depressed.

18. Get Mad!
 Anger is a gift. If something is getting you down, express your frustration about it! Just getting your feeling out can feel amazing.

I usually enjoy a rant now and then – delayed shipments, inappropriate charges, big business bullying the little guy. Yes I do this on a regular basis, depressed or not.

19. Attend a funeral It’s been said that nothing makes you feel more alive than death.

I attend funerals for the sake of other people, not myself. These are very sad occasions and the fewer the better.

Obviously, differences in age, sex, culture, I’m not sure what else, has a profound effect on how we see things and our reaction to these things. For me nature, walks and acts of kindness, are better depression routers than dangerous, illegal or disturbing acts – just saying.