*Lion, the exercise isn't just to use up energy. It's much more to get your blood moving and to get some better biochemicals into your bloodstream.

There have been times in my life when I've set it as my goal to do just three things a day. The three things didn't even have to be very hard or complicated. It was good for me, though, to see that I had done at least three things.

Another thing I've done from time to time is give myself a point, or points, for everything I did no matter how elementary. I actually got this idea from a Lutheran pastor on another forum. She said that during her very worst times, she had used this system. She would start in the morning by giving herself a point for getting out of bed! Well, getting out of bed is hard when you're depressed, and so it definitely deserves a point.

For me, I'd give myself a point for washing my face; one for brushing my teeth; one for getting dressed.

It used to help me a lot to get dressed and leave the house, then go to a cafe or diner for coffee and the morning paper.

In general, making contact with anything that interests you can be helpful.

What you want is not so much to solve the problem on any given day but to get enough little "hits" from things that are good for you. Over time those can add up to a real change. It's good to keep looking for them. It's great, too, to keep track of what makes you feel better, no matter how temporarily.

What do you like to do when you feel halfway decent?

Or, if you can't think of anything, what did you like to do when you were a kid?