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To read all the articles about entrepreneurs, they seem like an almost annoyingly optimistic and perky bunch, but it isn’t at all that uncommon for these self-starters to get the blues.

With all the responsibility resting squarely on their shoulders, entrepreneurs need to be on the lookout for depression so they can tackle the problem proactively and move on to bigger and better things.

Entrepreneur’s Nadia Goodman has four tips for beating these temporary blues.

1. Look for shifts in your mood. 
Depression rarely starts with a fully realized thought about what’s going on and why — that would be too easy. It starts with a bad feeling that we often push aside.

For example, you might feel your stomach drop, your heart rate accelerate, your energy wane, or your body tense in reaction to a business decision or interaction. “That’s a good moment to stop and ask yourself, what am I thinking right now,” says Hergenrather. Your physical reaction is simply a way to alert you to a possible problem.

2. Notice which thoughts are getting you down.
During times of depression, our thoughts have a negative or fatalistic outlook. Thoughts like “I’m a failure” or “I’ll never get ahead” are common. Often, these thoughts are so automatic we don’t even notice them, but they keep us locked in a negative spiral.

To uncover your own automatic thoughts, explain them aloud or write them down. Dig deeper by asking yourself, “How do I feel about that?” or “What do I think will happen?” Look for the thoughts that evoke a genuine emotional reaction. “The thoughts that are really causing the problem will pack the most emotional punch,” says Hergenrather. “That’s how you know you’re at the core.”

Full story at Entrepreneur.

Even entrepreneurs get the blues.

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