Q: Depression can feel endless when the lethargy takes over and everything seems too hard. For this very reason, it's important to view getting well as a journey of gradual steps, rather than something with an instant cure. There will be times that your determination is challenged by self-questioning and despair, but this is precisely when you must do your best to avoid being "depressed about being depressed!" Here are good ways to start: Name your beast. Winston Churchill called his depression his "black dog." By turning it into a pet, he made a difficult situation into a controllable one. In naming it, you make it a condition and not a definition of who you are. You can say something like "My black dog is making me feel irritable today," instead of saying "I'm always an irritable no-hoper." Find a role model. Think you're alone in being depressed? Go to the library and pull out five biographies. It's highly likely that at least one of those high-achievers suffered from depression. Do a little research online to find famous people who have overcome depression. Read about the many celebrities who are revealing their battles with depression. Read their stories. Take heart in the fact that there are others who have overcome depression, and now you have the benefit of their experiences to draw from too! Be gentle with yourself. Life isn't a race or a competition. The reality is that you matter, you have great value as a person, and making things harder for yourself is akin to beating yourself up. Avoid obsessing about your depression or creating a shrine to it to hide behind when things all seem to hard. The feedback loop of hopelessness and despair created by being angry with yourself for being depressed will deepen your despair. Go back to naming your beast and setting it apart from who you are. Accept that the journey to wellness is a matter of baby steps. List the things that are bothering you outside of your depression. It could be unpaid bills, a lack of vacations, or a tough job. In another column, write down some practical things that you think you can do to deal with the things that are bothering you. For example, find ways to pay these bills, plan a vacation, and figure out how to get a new job. This is a vital aspect of working through depression. Depressed persons tend to have what Aaron Beck refers to as an "Information processing bias." This refers to the tendency to self-select the distorted and negative viewpoints of everything, entrenching the depression even further. . As part of progressing, recognizing and defeating negative thinking patterns is a very important aspect to concentrate on. Cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, or other forms of psychological therapy are helpful when you're unlearning negative thinking and establishing patterns of thinking that support your self-esteem and increase your self confidence. While it is best to read up in this area and speak with someone qualified to help guide you through the ways to change your thinking, there are some important things to keep in mind. Acknowledge the feeling will pass. This can be a very difficult step, but it's vital because it helps you to start banishing thoughts of hopelessness. List all of your good points. When you're depressed, it's easy to understate the positive things about yourself. Turn this around by listing everything that is good about you. Include achievements from the past and hopes for the future, however few or random they may seem. If you can't write this list, have a trusted friend or family member start one for you. This is a list to keep building upon as you work through your depression. Self-acceptance is a vital part of recovering from depression because you acknowledge that there are good things about yourself, but also that you have challenges to overcome. This will help you stop judging yourself more harshly than anyone else. Make decisions, however small, and act on them. Again, while this is very difficult to do during depression, it is a vital element in facing the sense of helplessness that tends to overwhelm depressed persons. Small decisions like getting out of bed, calling friends, or cleaning up the kitchen all add up. Once you act on them, they become achievements. Learn how to replace faulty or negative thinking by focusing on it. Ask questions such as: Am I assuming the worst? Am I condemning myself because something bad has happened? Am I focused on my weaknesses rather than my strengths? It is helpful to arrange the negative thought in one column and a rationalization in another column, so that you can confront and undo the negative thinking. In one column you may write the thought: "I'm a failure," and in the other you challenge that thought with: "I made a mistake. I've made mistakes in the past and things have turned out okay. I've also had many triumphs." Learn assertiveness techniques once you've challenged the harder aspects of your negative thinking processes. Assertive techniques will allow you to find a pathway to standing up for yourself without giving in to feelings of anger, fear, or powerlessness. Knowing how to assert yourself is an important part of not falling back into depressive patterns in the future. Sit back and try to find the good in your life. Whatever it is, it is something worth finding. Return to this list regularly and continue to update it. In your initial recovery, it might have one or two things such as "my house" or "my spouse." Over time, it should grow as you start to experience the more joyful side of life again. Replace unhappy thoughts with memories of happier times. You are always in control of what you're thinking about. Make the choice to prefer the positive, happier memories over the unhappy thoughts. Alter the language you use to help yourself look at things more positively. By saying "at least...," this turns a negative into a positive. Other examples include rather than regretting something and feeling a failure, ask yourself, "What have I learned from this?" Once you're affected by depression, your vulnerability to it can mean it has a higher chance of returning in your life if you don't manage its causes. Recognize the warning signs and take constructive actions to deal with it earlier on before it starts. Aim to minimize its impact and duration. If you believe your depression is returning, speak with your doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist right away to begin treatment.
A: Think of it as a journey to wellness. Understand the importance of overcoming negative thinking. Change your thinking Look for the good. Change the way you talk. Accept that depression may return.

Q: Many people take insurance for granted, but if they see danger or potential hazard in their future, they're more likely to consider buying insurance. Insurance doesn't even have to be mentioned. They should be prompted with a question related to their situation, as well as the insurance you're attempting to sell. Potential house insurance questions: What's the most valuable thing you have in your house? Have the recent floods been anywhere near your house? Potential life insurance questions: How long do you think your savings would work for your family if you passed? Are you aware funerals can cost nearly $10,000?! Potential disability insurance questions: Could you continue your physically demanding job if you were permanently injured? If you get injured and can't work for a long period of time, can your spouse's salary support you? View things from their perspective to understand their problems and deliver possible solutions. Unique insurance ideas targeted directly at your customers' needs shows your passion for learning about them. Being their friends could help lead to a more lucrative connection. Did your clients just have a child for whom they might want life insurance? Have they recently thought about a travel trailer or camper? Are they really into boats and jet-skis? If so, you could insure the vehicles as well as review some health insurance options. Re-examine their coverage and use this as an opportunity to up-sell. You may find new reasons they are unsatisfied with current coverage, or ways to combine coverage currently not under your purview. Some companies also offer a multi-line discount, so this is another topic to discuss with your clients.
A:
Ask questions that make people think about insurance. Learn personal details about your clients. Schedule an annual meeting with your current customer base.