20. Depression Now, as you continue to relax...

I want you to realize the harmful thing youhave been doing to yourself I want you to realize that you've attached anundesirable label on yourself you stuck it on yourself just like you'd stick alabel on a bottle, and the label that you've placed on yourself is the label of ...DEPRESSED ... you've been calling yourself depressed ... you've been allowing yourself to be depressed ... and you realize that every time you said the word depressed toyourself, you increased the belief that you truly are depressed ... for you see, we fail tosometimes realize that people tend to believe what they say about themselves ... in otherwords, you are basically what you believe yourself to be ... Now, that's a real simpleconcept ... I want you to see it ... it's a real simple concept for you understand that anAmerican acts like an American because he believes himself to be an American. If youreally thought of yourself as belonging to any other nationality, then you'd act like that...because we ALL are what we believe ourselves to BE ... and those of us who believeourselves to be doctors, we ACT like doctors ... just like lawyers ACT like lawyers ... soevery once in awhile, you have people like yourself, placing labels on themselves.They place labels on themselves just like YOU'VE done in the past... in the past,you've labeled yourself ... depressed ... Now, you're going to tear off that label of depression, and you're going to replace it. Now, you're going to label yourself HAPPY!and you know what? We tend to live up to the labels that we place on ourselves ... for yourealize that the truth of the matter is that ALL your actions carry you toward the imagethat you HOLD of yourself in your subconscious mind, and right now, you hold a goodimage of yourself. See yourself proud ... see yourself with new confidence in yourself,see yourself happy for a change ... you WANT to label yourself full of happiness. YouWANT to label yourself joyful... and you're going to label yourself happy, and you knowthat you are no longer going to let depression overcome you ... you know that you are nolonger going to let sadness fill your heart, because there are times when you can and do 21. have the joy of good fellowship with yourself... and with people whom you love. If youallow it! ... Now, I want you to realize the harmful thing that you've DONE to yourself inthe past... for you see, in the past, you have ACCEPTED the label of depression. In fact,you even said to yourself, "I just can't overcome my sadness." You've said to yourself, "Ijust feel completely inadequate in trying to remain happy and joyful... I have difficulty inlooking on the bright side of things." Now, I'm telling you that this is SERIOUS, becauseit doesn't take long to BELIEVE it ... once you start the thought in motion ... and youknow once you've given yourself the suggestion that you can't get out of your depression,once you've given yourself the suggestion that you HAVE to feel sad and empty ... onceyou start thinking that your confidence is slipping, once you begin to think your ability toRESIST becoming depressed is slipping, it is just a step away from thinking, "I wonder if I'm really worthy of being successful at ANYTHING ... you see, it's just a step awayfrom thinking, "I'm just not worthy enough to have ANYTHING good happen to me."Now, do you see how subtle that is? Now, you're going to refuse to allow yoursubconscious mind to play tricks on you. In fact, you're going to hold ON to that label of happiness.You are going to hold ON to that label of joy. You are going to hold ON to thatlabel of brightness. You're going to hold on to that label of success! For you realize thatthe truth of the matter is that most people who fail, are failures because they have labeledthemselves failures. They have convinced themselves that they are failures! And get this,they're merely ACTING OUT THE LABEL OF FAILURE that they, themselves, havePLACED on themselves ... they're merely acting out the label of depression that theythemselves have placed on themselves ... so right now, you are going to accept thesuggestion that you WILL develop the habit of being happy. You WILL let yourself look for the silver lining, so to speak. Look for the good in everything that happens to you.So, you are going to rip off that label of depression that you have placed onyourself. You are going to rip off that label of sadness that you have placed on yourself inthe past, so in your mind's eye, RIGHT NOW, as you hear the sound of my voice, I want 22. you to let that label be seen in your imagination ... I want you to imagine yourself withthe label, depression ... I want you to imagine yourself with the label depression on youright now, imagine it! ... and I want you to reach up in your mind's eye, and tear that labeloff COMPLETELY! Tear it off! Right now!You

don't need it anymore, in fact, you never did need that label of depression,and if you ever thought that you did need that label of depression, right now, you realizethat the need to have that label has outlived its usefulness ... you realize that it hasn'thelped you at all in the past. It's only been holding you back! In fact, you realize, you'rethe one who's being punished by keeping yourself in depression. You're the one that isbeing punished by keeping yourself in sadness. In fact, you realize that your depressiononly causes you to perform inadequately, so you REFUSE to identify any longer, in anyway with depression or sadness. Even if you feel completely empty of the ability to behappy, label yourself full of the ability right now, anyway, and begin to fill yourself withDETERMINATION to be happy ... fill yourself with the WILL to succeed ... and you'regoing to succeed. Every day, in every way, you'll allow yourself to become moredisciplined. You are what you believe yourself to be ... and what you think in secret, yourealize comes to pass. And since the picture of yourself determines your behavior, youMUST have confidence in your ability to get along without depression or sadness.Now, you set a goal for yourself. You've set a goal for yourself, and that goal is tobe happy, in every situation, and listen to me now, if you don't pursue that goal... if youdon't pursue the goal to be happy, you realize you'll fall prey to the thought, "I'm notreally worthy of succeeding at anything!" Then, self pity will set in, and more fear of failure sets in... now, do you see how destructive all this is?Now, listen to me ... you're determination to be happy is the promise you've givenyourself... your determination to be happy is the PROMISE you have given yourself...and allow yourself to accept that promise, as the absolute truth to you ... allow yourself torealize that these aren't just some nice sounding words that you're hearing me speak. 23. This isn't just some dream. These aren't just some cliches that I'm giving you. It's aFACT! Believe it! Say it to yourself! Say it to yourself right now! My determination to beHAPPY within myself can never be changed. Say it to yourself, my determination to behappy within myself, can NEVER, NEVER be changed.Now, I'm going to give you a moment of silence, and during this moment of silence you're going to contemplate any other label that you've placed on yourself thatshouldn't be there, and you know what they are ... and during this moment of silence, Iwant you to see those labels on your body ... you are going to replace those labels withgood labels that you glue permanently on yourself. Labels like confidence, labels of self assurance ... Even a label of self- reliance ... a label of determination to succeed. You aregoing to let yourself be relaxed, as the moment of silence begins now ...After a moment of silence...Emerge