Every now and then you’ll see a post on social media that says “the only reason I haven’t committed suicide is because my dog would miss me” or “the only reason I haven’t spiraled into deep depression is because I’m looking forward to this trip.”

These statements are dark, but a lot of statements having to do with mental health are dark, it’s unfortunately part of it’s nature. But these statements are important, because they give reasons to live, reasons to be happy, reasons to look forward to life.

A lot of people struggle to pull themselves out of depression and while you’re in it it’s easy to believe that you need something huge to make a difference in your daily mental health, but that isn’t true. The little things might not send shock waves through your entire life, but they give you reasons to move forward, and I’m begging you to cling to the little things.

We’ve heard all about how gratitude can change your life, but that’s not as much of an option when your depressed. It’s hard to be grateful for anything, so instead of reaching for “something to be thankful for” reach for “it’s something to keep me going”.

Cling to the little things. Hold them close to you. Come up with new ones when you can. Find small reasons that you might need to get through the week or the year. Eventually your mental health will improve, especially if you’re taking the necessary steps for healing, like talking to a doctor. These little things aren’t about healing your mental health, they’re about keeping you together long enough that your other efforts have time to pull through.

So please, if you are struggling, if you find yourself in a dark pit, please look for any sign of comfort or hope and cling to it no matter how little or how silly it seems. It’s a lot bigger and more important than your realize.