Struggling with chronic depression while forging a successful career may seem incompatible, yet here I stand, Tamara Trotter, living proof of this formidable coexistence. My revealing narrative on 'Win Over Depression' extends an invitation to explore the compatibility of personal trials with professional triumphs. As I recount my 25-year tenure with Child Protective Services, from supervising child abuse investigations to training leaders within a vast department, you'll hear the story of a certified Gallup coach who finds solace in strength-based leadership and the profound satisfaction of making a difference through this very podcast.
This episode unveils the tools and mindset needed to harness inner strength and mute the cacophony of naysayers that threaten to derail us. It's a discussion that shines a light on the strategies for distancing oneself from relationships that fail to bring out our best. Embracing this challenge, I pose to you a powerful call to action: what will you stop, start, or continue in your life to catapult yourself toward your aspirations? Let's navigate together through the nuances of confronting procrastination, fostering self-belief, and relentlessly pursuing our goals. Join me on this journey of intentional living, as we strive to craft a future that's not just survivable, but thrivable.
Hello and welcome to when over depression. I am your host, tamara Trotter. Today I'm actually going to be talking a little bit more about myself. So I've been doing this podcast for three years now and I haven't really talked about what I do for a living and just a little bit about myself. So I decided I wanted to do that today.
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So I am a supervisor for Child Protective Services and I have 25 years of work with the Child Protective Services Agency. My job has been to supervise social workers who investigate child abuse, but I actually got a promotion to a staff development officer and so currently I train social workers who investigate child abuse, but I also train in leadership for my entire department of over 5,000 employees, and it has definitely been my most favorite assignment. So I can definitely say that working for an agency that looks after children and families has been quite an experience and a journey, and I have experienced a lot of ups and downs in that field, working with families, but it has been very fulfilling. So that's a little bit about myself. Let me see what else can I say. I am also an athlete. I don't play basketball now, but I played basketball from the age of seven, taught to me by my dad, and I love to listen to music, and those are just some of the things that I enjoy doing. This podcast is absolutely fantastic for me because I get the opportunity to pour into the lives of other people in a positive way. I am also a certified Gallup coach and I train strength-based leadership. So the reason I wanted to talk to you a little bit about what I do is because I've been on my job for 25 years, even though I suffer from chronic depression, and I have been able to maintain my employment because, well, number one, you have to maintain your employment in order to survive and to be able to pay your bills.
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But I'm saying that to let you know. As I've talked earlier about, I am a true testament to the fact that, despite what's going on in your life, you can still thrive and you can still be successful. So, even though I have suffered in silence and I did suffer for many years I was still able to overcome my circumstances. And that's what I want you to know is that, no matter where you are right now, today in your life, you have the ability to push yourself forward, but you have to believe it and receive it. You have to believe in yourself. Stop listening to the naysayers, the people who are holding you back, the ones who are keeping you from being the best version of yourself that you can possibly be, the ones who allow you to wallow in despair and don't encourage you. Those people are not helping you. Your relentless fight against mental illness is hard enough, let alone having to deal with people who don't support you.
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So what is today's topic? Today's topic is dealing with people who don't bring out the best in us. What do we do to handle that adversity that we're facing? Because we are all winners and if we don't slow down and realize that life is short, that tomorrow is not promised to any one of us, then we'll turn around and our life would have passed us by, won't you make a decision? It is only the third month in the new year.
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You still have the opportunity to decide that you're going to do something differently. So I have a question for you what is it in your life that you want to stop, start or continue? Do you want to stop procrastinating? Do you want to stop making assumptions? Do you want to stop taking things personally? And what do you want to start? Do you want to start exercising? Do you want to start believing in yourself? Do you want to start realizing that just because you have a mental illness does not mean that your life is over? What will you continue? Will you continue to inspire people? Will you continue to fight every day, relentlessly, no matter what it looks like? Will you continue to get up every morning and achieve goals and move forward and keep pushing yourself? Will you continue to think about that book that you've wanted to write? But now you've decided you're going to actually make a draft for the book. You're going to write two chapters every month.
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What are you going to do intentionally to move yourself forward? It is totally up to you. No one else can help you. No one else can bail you out. No one else can be in your corner to do this particular task. Sometimes there are things that we do need to do alone, because when we are alone we can have clearer thinking, we can process better, we can think things through. When you're around other people all the time, you don't have the opportunity to quiet your mind. Sometimes we need to quiet our mind and just listen to what our inner thoughts are telling us. As long as those inner thoughts are positive, because we must exude positivity in our life. Our life depends on it. When you hang around with people who are negative, they're going to bring you down. You have to learn to purge those relationships that are not healthy. So what are you going to do?
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The ball is in your court. What are you going to do? Are you going to go hard in the paint? You got three seconds in the key to take that shot. Are you going to take the shot? You've got two seconds left. You've got one second left because you will miss 100% of the shots that you do not take. I need you to go hard in the paint. What does that mean? It is a basketball term. What it means is you've got three seconds in the middle of that. It's called the key. You've got three seconds in the key to release that ball. You're either going to shoot it, you're going to pass it or you're going to make your way to the basket. What are you going to do? What are you going to do? Your life is in front of you. You've got to stop looking behind you and look forward. Forget the rear view mirror and take steps forward and not backward. You can do it.
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Start this month. Start this month and start with three things you're going to do differently this month. Maybe take them off your stop, start and continue list that you've made. We are in charge of our lives. We cannot continue to have a pity party feeling sorry for ourselves because things are not going our way. It is time for us to stand up for ourselves so that we can thrive every single day. What are you going to do? What will you do? I submit to you that when you take action, when you complete goals, when you have a plan in place, when you don't take no for an answer, when someone closes a door in your face and you decide to open a window to get through, that's the type of movement that you need to make in your life. It's time, it's beyond time.
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I know that somebody listening to this podcast needs this message. I'm asking you do something different, make a change, apologize to somebody you need to apologize to. Maybe that's causing you to be depressed. Whatever it is, if you don't make a decision, a decision will made, be made for you, and it might not be the decision that you wanted. So I never want to end my podcast without thanking you so very much for listening. I am continuing to grow and I thank you so much. Will you please Subscribe to this podcast? Tell your friends.
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You can find Tamara Trotter on TT mental health expert on Pinterest. You can find me on Instagram, twitter, tumblr. You can go to my youtube channel when over depression. You can join my Facebook group when over depression. I am in it to win it and I want to help you win as well. You are worthy, you are capable. I believe in you without a shadow of a doubt. Having never met you, I Believe in you. You can do it. Do me a favor. Go to my youtube channel and subscribe. I'm trying to build up my membership there. Also, go to my Instagram page. I need 12 more people to break a hundred Subscribers. I'm sorry, a thousand subscribers. If you would do that for me, that would be fantastic. If you want to reach out, email me at tamera at win over depression Dot org. When over depression dot org. If you want to support this podcast With as little as five to ten dollars a month, it would help immensely. Please go to wwwpatrioncom. That's p a t r e o n dot com. Backslash to Mara Trotter. That's T a m? E r. A last name Trotter t r o T T e r.
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I'm excited about where this podcast is going. I'm excited because many of you are going to get to your breakthrough. It's right around the corner and don't quit before you get that breakthrough. I Never want to close my message without telling you how much I believe in you. Thank you so much for listening. I will see you in the next podcast. Remember, giving up is never, ever, ever an option. You've got to stay in the game of life and I will see you next Friday, march the 10th. Take care, my friend, and hang in there. Keep your head high.